Only One
by drinkingwithdamon
Summary: Alternate Ending: Season 3 - Elena has chosen Damon, but what happens when she doesn't get the chance to tell him. What happens when death gets in the way, will they survive to have their happily ever after?
1. Chapter 1

**[Damon Salvatore]**

"Huh. You two really are gonna walk me all the way to the door aren't you?"

Even with a head injury she could still make jokes. That was Elena, ever attempting to be normal, even when her life was everything but.

"You lost a lot of blood today." Stefan told her.

I said nothing, craning my neck around and scanning the immediate area for potential dangers. Despite the sun still being at least a half hour away from setting, in a place like Mystic Falls, you learnt to expect the unexpected. And as a one hundred and seventy year old vampire, I'd seen my fair share of the unexpected.

"Yeah, I know, and I told you, I'm fine." She sighed, "I just... I have a little headache."

"Yeah, but the sun's about to go down and Ric's gonna be out to terrorise the streets any minute." I reminded her. She could say all she wanted, her safety was my number one priority, whether she wanted my protection or not.

"Yeah, but he can't hurt me. It's you two we should be worrying about." She pressed. We seemed to be repeating ourselves with the "yeah buts" but she was stubborn. Feisty. One of the many things I loved about her. And once again she was more worried about my brother and I than keeping herself safe. Did she not understand that Stefan and I could take care of ourselves? We had for the last century and a half. Yet this one human girl seemed to care more for the life of two vampires, monsters by nature, than for her own, much more valuable life.

She was a masochist to say the least.

"Nah," Stefan reassured her, "He won't be able to find us."

As we got to porch, I was still looking around. Stefan might feel comfortable, but I was always on the lookout for anything that could hurt her. This might be her home, but there were already so many threats coming at her from different sides, one slip and the home she once felt safe in could become as much a danger to her as living with a house full of vampires. But of course, she'd been there, done that a long time ago.

As she reached the door, she turned back.

"I'll, uh, I'll call you when we get back." Stefan said.

Elena nodded, the worry for our safety only barely masked in her eyes. It made me wonder that Stefan seemed oblivious to how scared she truly was for us. Had Elena and I grown so close now that I could tell such little details about her emotions? Or was it just that she and Stefan had grown apart? I couldn't tell, and neither did I want to dwell on the thought too long. Unrequited love and all.

I nodded, and we turned wordlessly to leave.

Elena sighed, "I know it's selfish..."

We looked up again, turning back to face the girl we both loved. I glanced sideways at Stefan, confusion quickly giving way to understanding and awkwardness as she continued.

"I know that it seems like I'm stringing you both along."

_No, not at all._ _Just making me wonder, every second of every day, what goes on in that head of yours._

Stefan glanced at me, before we both looked down, unsure what to say, or even if she wanted a reply.

"But I don't... I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

Jeez, you could practically taste the tension in the air. She was voicing everything we'd been wondering for ages now and suddenly I felt helpless. I tried to look everywhere, anywhere but at Stefan, as I felt the raging jealousy eating away at my insides.

Was there even a choice to make? She'd told me _'it'll always be Stefan'. _Shehadn't admitted to having feelings for me. She'd kissed me; twice. But not once had she told me that she had even considered me as another option. But was I really? I wasn't worthy of her; I'd told her that from the start. Even she couldn't see herself with me. _'Every time there's a bump in the road, you lash out. You sabotage things._' I'd been trying, so hard, and God had it been hard, to change for her. I'd turned my humanity back on because of her. A century of pain and anger and hope and fear. Ten decades of forgotten emotions slamming into me with the force of a sixty ton truck. Fighting against the urge to throw it all away again, and dealing with the onslaught of guilt and pain and regret that came with knowing what each and every one of my actions had affected somebody, had caused someone pain or grief. But I dealt with it, I learned to control it. I found the balance between what was right and what I wanted, and I held on.

For her.

"I mean..." She looked away, tears in her eyes, as she fought an internal battle with her emotions, and gathered the courage to continue. "If I choose one of you, then I lose the other."

Her eyes moved to Stefan, and the little hope that had been dwelling in my heart dimmed.

"And I've lost so many people. That I just... I can't bear the thought of losing one of you." Her gaze moved to me, her eyes pleading with me to understand. Understand what exactly, I wasn't sure. I just knew that with every second, I was convincing myself to stop hoping.

I looked away, knowing that if I continued to hope, to think that maybe, just maybe, her choice might be me, I'd end up broken. I didn't deserve her. I didn't deserve her friendship, let alone her love. But I craved it, needed it. She taught me how to love again. She showed me that what I felt for Katherine was nothing. It wasn't love. I didn't know what love was then, but Elena showed me. And now? Now I couldn't live without her. I wouldn't. I loved her more than anything and I needed her to love me. I just wanted her to feel something. Something that was stronger than what she felt for Stefan.

Stefan. Always the saviour. It was always Stefan who she turned to before, always him she had given her heart to, her trust to. What difference could a year make? To me? Everything. But to her, I didn't know. I couldn't understand her, couldn't see if all the effort I'd made this past year, in my brother's absence, to protect her, to give her everything she wanted, and to deal with my own pain of rejection, was worth it. To sit through months of her tears, of her pain, in the absence of Stefan from her life. To hold her and tell her that everything would be okay, when my own heart was breaking for her, wishing that she could see that the man that truly loved her more than anything in the world, was the man left to pick up the pieces of this broken girl.

None of it mattered, though, if she had not considered it an option.

_She'll always love Stefan_, I thought, _that's why we spent months searching for him, and then months more helping him search for his humanity. If it wasn't always Stefan, why had she not just given up?  
_  
I smirked wryly at the thought. The rational hope all but extinguished, despite the irrational hope that would forever burn in my mind, that, one day, she would realise and, one day, she might choose me.

I turned to my brother, nodding for him to take the stage. My heart breaking further, as I attempted to accept the fact that Elena's choice was almost indefinitely not going to be me.

"It's, uh, it's been a long day." Stefan nodded, and I was thankful that he was giving us both an out.

"Yeah," I confirmed, fighting to keep my expression indifferent, attempting the hide the internal conflict that always seemed to rage inside me at the concept of Elena Gilbert. "We'll call you from the road. After we dump Klaus' body in the Atlantic."

Elena sighed, her demeanour slipping ever so slightly. The pain and tiredness was evident in her eyes for a split second before she recomposed herself. The momentary lapse was not lost on me though; she could hide nothing from me anymore.

Her eyes lingered on me for a second and my heart swelled as she muttered, "Be careful," before her next words shattered the hope before it could even begin to grow. "Both of you."

As my brother and I turned away, from Elena, and from Mystic Falls, at least for the moment, I felt almost relieved. I couldn't bear to be around Elena anymore. The next time we would see her, she would make her decision, and this was the last time I could look at her as anything more than her boyfriend's brother; her best friend.

As we crossed the town limits and started out onto the open road, I felt my heart breaking a little more, and I knew that no matter how hard I tried; my heart would always belong to Elena Gilbert.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 m'lovelies!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries**

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**[Damon Salvatore]**

I drove right through the night without stopping. The roads had been open; clear of almost any vehicle besides long distance drivers and delivery lorries. It was how I preferred to drive. With the roads open to me, I was free to drive how I liked, and with vampire reflexes, I enjoyed pushing the Camaro to its limits. It was frustrating though; my car still wasn't fast enough for my level of patience and I wished I was able to run at full speed _and_ carry the coffin at the same time. It'd save me a few hours to say the least. I'd broken almost every speed limit in the state of Michigan and I still couldn't get there fast enough; it was driving me insane.

The quicker this whole ordeal was over, the faster I could return to Mystic Falls.

I hated being away from her, being deprived of her presence. But I knew that her life was also in my hands and if I failed to act, we could all be dead before sunset. Still it didn't stop the emptiness I felt without her. I had to get rid of the body and get back to her as soon as possible.

After almost 15 hours straight of non-stop driving, I finally pulled the Camaro up outside a "Lend'n'Lock" in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. It seemed an almost obvious hideout, but I knew Ric would be expecting an altogether different location, and so it seemed fitting.

_Alaric_. My best friend Ric had suddenly become our greatest threat. The only real friend I had ever had, had been taken from me. Sometimes the universe really was cruel.

But I had to force myself to remember that Ric wasn't really Ric anymore; just the darkest parts of him. The Alaric that we all knew had died when he'd become a vampire and I was at least grateful that the real Ric wasn't around to see what he'd become.

It was exhausting, all this defying evil, and, for the first time in as long as I could remember, I felt tired. Really and truly burnt out, like I could just curl up and sleep for an eternity. Maybe it was because I hadn't fed in days, because I suddenly felt ravenously hungry, or maybe it was because I'd truly had enough of the drama that always seemed to follow us around. I didn't know, but what I did know was that I was sick and tired of the many problems life always seemed to throw my way.

We'd fought constantly, and we had fought hard, against every obstacle we'd come across. First was my own irrational desire to get Katherine out of the tomb she was never in, and then the consequences of that, albeit pathetic and useless, quest. Then we'd had Katherine to deal with, when she finally decided to show her face. And when we believed that it couldn't have gotten worse, it had.

Soon after came the werewolves and witches, and finally the Originals. Not forgetting the whole sacrifice and werewolf bite business. Then of course Mama and Papa Original, and their quest to destroy the entire vampire race had effectively landed me where I was standing right now.

But besides all that, life was just dandy for everyone back home in Mystic Falls.

We'd been strong for almost three years, working together despite our differences, and maybe, just maybe, our hard work might pay off this time.

And as I slammed the door on the storage unit containing Klaus' desiccated corpse, I hoped to God that everything we'd done to keep ourselves safe had been enough to do just that.

* * *

Klaus was dead. Alaric had beaten us. He'd fought through every defence we had, he'd overpowered us all and, at last, he'd killed Klaus. It was over.

I didn't know how long I had left to live, but I sure as hell didn't want to spend my last hours fighting my ex-best-friend-turned-evil-vampire-enemy. I wasn't sure what there was left to do. I couldn't leave the warehouse due to the super enhanced hearing of said best friend/evil vampire enemy. So I resigned myself to waiting.

"What will come, will come." I quipped to myself, before chuckling under my breath. _Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness Damon._

I was still waiting for the call from Elena; the call I knew would simply confirm my fears. I wasn't sure why I so wanted to hear her say it, maybe it was simply to hear her voice for the last time, before my almost certain death. I guess I've always been a masochist.

Despite the fact that it had never been confirmed who had originated our bloodline, I had always taken Klaus at his word, and, though I'd never admit it to a living soul, I was terrified of death. Who could I talk to anyway? Elena? Of course not. She'd be too busy consoling my brother to listen to my pathetic ramblings. No one even knew that side of me existed and I was happy to keep it that way. Wouldn't want to ruin my reputation. But just because no one knew of my fears, didn't mean I wasn't scared.

I was a vampire, a killer; what was there for me after this life? I sure as hell (pun intended) didn't have a shot at Heaven. I'd done so many bad things in my time, and despite my recent attempts at redemption for the girl I loved, I knew it wasn't enough.

So what was there left for me to do? Torture myself more by pining for the girl I knew would never choose me? Basically.

Ric was somewhere else in the building, silent and unknown, undetectable. _He's probably waiting for me to die so he can dance on my grave,_ I thought wryly.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and rolled my eyes. Anyone who could possibly be calling me right now was someone I almost certainly did not want to speak to.

Without looking at the caller ID, I picked up the call.

"What?"

"Damon..." Elena breathed, her voice breaking. "You're alive..."

My throat suddenly felt constricted, "Uh, yeah," I coughed, "For how long, though, I don't know."

Elena laughed hysterically, "Oh Damon... You don't need to worry about the bloodline business! Bonnie did something, she won't tell us what, but she saved you! She saved you! All of you!" She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and I attempted to do the same. I found copying her human habits made me feel more connected to her, and my humanity.

"I thought Ric would've got to you by now! But you're alive!" She almost sobbed. I could barely separate the words as she rushed through them.

"I'm alive, honey. It's okay..." I soothed.

I couldn't deny the immense relief I felt knowing I wasn't going to die. Well, through Klaus at least. I'd had a century and a half of this life, and although I regretted the majority of things I'd done, I wouldn't change it for the world. Sure, my humanity wished I didn't have to kill, that the vampire in me didn't want to murder people in cold blood; that I hadn't been killing without remorse for several generations. But I knew that every decision, be it good or bad, that I'd made over the course of my life had led me to her.

And I could never regret her.

"...I thought Ric might've got to you. I thought he'd killed you." She was babbling, the words jumbling together and becoming incoherent.

"Elena. Elena! Listen to me."

The line went silent before her deep calming breaths began to echo through the phone.

"Okay. Listen to me, Elena. I'm fine, okay? I'm fine. You're fine. Klaus is gone, and we're all fine. We're gonna make it out of this, okay? I promise you."

I could hear her struggling to calm herself, as I watched Ric's shadow draw closer to the doorway. In my mind I could almost imagine her heartbeat, the frantic pounding as she fought against herself. It helped to calm me too, remembering the fierce, strong beats of her, almost fragile, human heart.

"I need to talk to you." She finally whispered, her voice breathless. "We were driving to you, Matt and I. I've spoken to Stefan, and now I need to talk to you." She seemed to be perfectly calm now, business-like and serious. I didn't know how to take this sudden emotional change, wasn't sure how to react to it. Who had she chosen? I didn't think I'd ever know. Just because I needn't worry about death via Klaus, did not necessarily mean I would make it out of the warehouse alive with Evil Alaric lurking nearby. "I've made my decision, Damon, and I need you to know. I'll meet you at the Boarding House in a couple hours. I'm gonna see you soon, Damon. Okay?"

"Yeah," I murmured, watching with weary eyes as Ric sauntered toward me, through the double doors. "Real soon, Elena."

I ended the call, sliding my phone swiftly into my pocket and simultaneously analysing the scene before me. Even with my many years experience with almost identical situations, Ric was like nothing I had ever known. One moment I was crouched, preparing to attack, and the next I was slamming into the wall with a painful crash.

As I opened his eyes, I saw Alaric coming towards me with a crowbar and smirked. It was almost ironic that my best and only friend would be the one to end my pitiful life.

I glanced up into the cold eyes of my best friend and saw...nothing. There was nothing of the history teacher left in this monster and I briefly wondered if I'd been similar before I met Elena.

But before I could put more thought into it, the crowbar came swinging toward my face, and everything went black.

* * *

I came back to the present slowly, fighting it all the way.

I opened his eyes carefully, watching as Alaric moved casually towards me once again, still gripping the blood-spattered crowbar. _Damn. Evil-Ric really didn't give up._

I shifted slightly, attempting to jump to my feet before I felt a sudden searing pain rip through my arm. I gasped and Ric's deep chuckle echoed through the warehouse.

"Ric..." I muttered, begging my broken arm to speed up the healing already. If I could just distract the original long enough, I might be able to escape.

"Don't call me that!" Alaric hissed, his eyes flashing with danger as he stalked back toward me again. "We're not friends!"

I laughed, a genuine, tired, breathless laugh, as memories of all our adventures flashed through my mind. When I finally spoke, my voice held centuries of sadness and an infinite sense of exhaustion.

"We were."

Alaric just grinned. It was menacing and cruel, completely unlike the Ric who had been my friend.

I could feel my bones knitting back together and groaned as my knee snapped back into place. I hated feeling useless; I was a vampire for crying out loud! I hadn't been incapacitated this badly in one hundred and fifty years. I'd always been the predator, the one inflicting pain on other people. But now the roles were reversed and I suddenly wondered if this was the universe's sick way of giving me my comeuppance.

_Hey, let's have the woman I love choose my brother over and over and over again, and then just when I think might finally have a chance at happiness with her, let's have my best friend turn evil and attempt to kill me and every other vampire in the goddamn world._

_Whoever came up with this crap was one sick son of a-_

The crowbar collided with my jaw this time and I felt the bone shatter. I collapsed backwards, my head cracking against the floor and as I fought to open my eyes, I watched with a resounding feeling of dread as Ric sauntered forward, the indestructible stake in his hand.

I closed my eyes and tried one last time to make amends.

_Look, I know I've done some crappy things in my time and I'm not gonna go into one of those 'God forgive me for my sins' speeches, because it'd take far too long and just be a waste of my time. I'm not even gonna ask for anything selfish. God, imagine that. Anyway, if there's anyone out there that can hear this, all I ask is that you protect them, Stefan and Elena, and our friends. Make sure Stefan knows I'm sorry, and Elena knows that I love her. Make sure they're okay, that they have each other and they're safe. That's all I'm asking.  
_  
I felt completely ridiculous, begging for something from someone who might not even be able to hear me. I was damned after all. I wasn't sure what there was for me after this life but I had a feeling I was about to find out.

Ric smirked and raised the stake. "Goodbye Damon."

I closed my eyes and waited.

And waited.

_Why am I still alive?_

There was a crash from nearby and my eyes shot open and I leapt to my feet. Pain shot through my ribs as my injuries attempted to heal themselves.

Ric was hunched over; the stake long forgotten on the ground nearby. He was clutching his chest like he couldn't breathe, gasping for air like a man drowning. _That's ridiculous,_ I thought, _Vampires don't need to breathe._

Then one single thought brought my entire world crashing down around me, and my knees gave way beneath me.

Vampires might not need to breathe...

But humans do.

_Elena._

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	3. Chapter 3

**Early update! I know, shocking for me as well. **

**But thank you for your amazing response to this story, and every alert, review and favourite is truly appreciated.**

**This is the last chapter that I've taken from the show, I've changed the ending considerably, and from here on out, everything is my storyline.**

**So without anymore of my babble, here's Chapter 3!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

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**[Elena Gilbert]**

I was going to die; I knew it.

The car was submerged in ten feet of murky water under Wickery Bridge and there was no way out.

It was terrifying and all I could see was my mom and dad as we drove off of this very same bridge just three years ago. All I could imagine were their faces as they fought to get free and the agonising pain of losing them to the merciless depths of the water. I was living my worst nightmare. It was bad enough that this had happened the first time, bad enough that I kept living the moments over and over in my dreams without having my biggest fears brought to life once again.

I'd been saved once before, but this time, there was no escape.

Finally, I'd made the ultimate sacrifice. I felt an enormous relief knowing that my death would bring peace to those I loved. Klaus was dead, and now, with my own death, came Alaric's. Some people might say I'd been suicidal since my parents' accident, but I'd always seen it more as the protection of the people I loved. Damon had said it to my face several times, being the jackass he was, but I didn't care.

If, in the end, it came down to the lives of my friends or my own, there would be no competition.

I'd caused them enough pain already.

I consoled myself with the fact that Matt was safe. Stefan had saved him, and for that I was grateful. I'd had to force him to leave me, knowing that I wouldn't be alive for him to rescue me when he returned.

The lack of oxygen was beginning to take effect and the pain began clawing at my chest. It felt like my lungs were on fire, fighting for oxygen that didn't exist in the dirty depths of water surrounding me. My throat was constricted and the sizzling flames ripped through my arteries, setting my limbs on fire. It seared its way through my bloodstream and my consciousness began to fade.

I hoped that my friends would be okay now. Hopefully, without the curse of the doppelganger looming over them, they would be free to live their lives. It was what I'd wanted for them all along.

My only regret was Damon. It broke me to know that I would never get the chance to tell him I loved him; I would never make it to the Boarding House to finally admit the truth.

I could imagine him, pacing the parlour waiting impatiently for me to return to him. How long would he wait before he started panicking? How long would it be before Stefan or Caroline or Bonnie thought to tell him I'd died?

I hated what I'd done to him. I knew he thought I'd chosen Stefan and it killed me that I could never tell him otherwise. Knowing I would never see him again broke my heart. I loved him. _God_, did I love him. I'd never wanted to admit it to myself and now it was too late. I wasted years denying how I felt and now it was all wasted time. Wasted time I could have spent with him, showing him that he really was loved by somebody. That he really was capable of being loved. But you can never get back lost time, and now I'd truly lost everything.

I was beginning to find it hard to concentrate. My focus was off and the only thoughts in my mind were scattered and unintelligible.

_Must be... almost... over._

I begged for it to be almost over. The pain was becoming unbearable, and I felt myself drifting.

Coherent thoughts suddenly became almost impossible and I held on to the most important thought I had as everything went black.

_Damon._

* * *

**[Damon Salvatore]**

_No._

"No, no! Ric! No..."

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. Nothing around me was making sense and all I could think of was Elena.

_She's not dead. Its a mistake. A terrible, terrible mistake._

Ric dropped to his knees in front of me, gasping. "What's... What's happening to me?"

_You're dreaming, Damon. Wake the fuck up and get out of there. It's only a dream.  
_  
But I knew it wasn't. This was all real. Agonisingly, painfully, heart-breakingly real.

I wanted to scream, to cry or break something; to kill someone. This couldn't be happening. How could this be happening? We'd done everything, everything, to keep her safe. We'd sacrificed so much to make sure she stayed alive.

How could she leave me? Did she not know what she meant to me? If she got herself killed, what was there left for me?

She was the only one that knew me; the only person in the world that I loved enough to show the real me. She got me in a way that nobody else had in a hundred and fifty years, not even my brother. She saw through me, and sometimes I hated her for it.

She saw through my arrogance, my cockiness and the mask I always wore. She saw the man I was, not just the vampire I pretended to be. She'd changed me, made me realise things I'd been hiding from all my life. She'd broken me, and then put the pieces back together, one by one. But she'd always been the biggest part of me, the purest part. The part that truly mattered.

And now she was going to leave me all alone.

Ric was slowly turning grey, his features desiccating as his arms braced on the floor. He was still gasping for breath he couldn't seem to get.

"Ric, no..." I reached out, pulling his body against me as I searched for a way, any way, to stop it, even though the rational part of me knew it wasn't Ric that was the problem. The real problem was wherever Elena was right now, in whichever painful way she was dying.

Elena was dying, and I was halfway across the country, feeling broken and completely helpless.

As Ric's gasps slowed to nothing and his body became still, I felt the irrational part of me take over. If Ric was dead, then it was over.

Tears sprang to my eyes and I couldn't force them away, so I let them fall.

"She's dead."

_No._ Not my Elena. There had to be a way. There was always a way.

"You're not dead, Elena." I muttered, slowly rising to my feet, my hands shaking with barely controlled emotion. I didn't know whether I wanted to cry or scream, but I knew that if anybody came near me, I was likely to kill them with my bare hands.

"You are not fucking dead, Elena Gilbert!"

I had to get to her. I had to find her. If I found her, I could help her. I'd find a way to save her. I couldn't let her die. Not Elena. Anyone else. Any other person in the entire world I'd gladly let die in her place. But not her. Never her.

I'd find a way, even if it killed me.

Ric's body was safely locked in the trunk of my car back at the warehouse and I'd been running for just over three hours.

I arrived back in Mystic Falls at a time that, even for a vampire, was a feat. But I'd done it, I'd gotten there for Elena. I was half dead by the time I reached Mystic General and the irony of it wasn't lost on me.

I stormed onto Meredith's ward, determined to find her and demand answers. But most of all I wanted to see Elena.

Meredith was giving out orders, left, right and centre to young interns who were bustling about the ward, but right now I was in no mood for hesitation.

"Where is she? I want to see her."

Meredith's eyes landed on me and her face looked racked with guilt. "Damon..."

"Where is she?"

She put her arm out, palm resting on my shoulder in a calming gesture but there was no way I could calm down. How could she expect me to calm down? I was an emotional wreck inside. I was lucky I'd had so long to perfect my poker face otherwise I'd be the laughing stock of the town.

"Damon. Look, when Jeremy brought Elena in earlier tonight her injuries were worse than I let on. It wasn't a concussion. It was a cerebral haemorrhage, bleeding on the brain."

My mind was still running over everything all at once. Elena; I had to get to Elena. Nothing Meredith was saying was making sense and the confusion was just making me angrier and more desperate.

"What are you saying?"

Meredith looked close to tears, but she continued, her voice uncertain, as if she were convincing herself that she'd done the right thing.

"He was so worried that I didn't wanna tell him but I... I helped her." Her voice grew stronger, more confident as she finished. "She needed my help."

It took me several seconds to comprehend what she was saying.

And then it hit me. Meredith had helped Elena. _Helped her_; and Meredith's kind of helping never went by the book. She'd given Elena blood. Vampire blood.

_My blood._

"You did what?"

Without even waiting for an answer, I pushed past her, rushing down the hall at as fast a human pace as I could to the morgue.

I had to see it myself. I had to make sure I wasn't dreaming, hallucinating; that Elena really could be not dead. Well as not dead as a vampire could get.

I reached the doors and found them unguarded. _Stefan must be here._

As the doors slammed open and I stepped inside, I felt my resolve turn to dust.

It'd never really sunk in that she was really and truly gone until I saw her.

There she was. Elena Gilbert, in the flesh; layed out on the table in the morgue, dead (for all intents and purposes).

The only thing keeping me from falling apart, from breaking completely, was the knowledge that she might not be gone forever.

Stefan had no idea what could possibly happen in the next few minutes and I didn't really care to tell him.

He glanced up as I entered, his eyes traumatised and I felt nothing for him because I knew, despite the fact that he loved her, that what he was feeling was nothing compared to what I was going through.

If this really was the end, if by some insane miraculous failure, my blood hadn't saved her, it was the end for me. It would either be my humanity, or my undead life that would be sacrificed because I couldn't deal with the agony of losing her. Call me a coward.

I didn't even have room for my sarcastic wit anymore, and that's how I knew I was truly screwed.

Normally, I would've thrown one of a million different jibes at my brother but in that moment, all I could think of was her.

She would come back. She had to.

I moved towards her, almost mesmerised by the sight of her there, silently praying that she would wake up. I reached out, gently touching her cheek with my finger tips and almost managed a smirk when Stefan stormed out.

_Good, let me have this moment to myself. If she wakes up, I'll be the first thing she sees.  
_  
If she woke up; which she would. She had to.

_Please. I don't care what I have to do, just please come back to me, Elena._

I watched her face, searching for signs of life, and got lost in her beauty. Even in death she was the most beautiful thing in the world. When I looked at her, I didn't see Katherine anymore, it was all her. Elena was everything Katherine could never be and I loved her for that as well as everything else. She was beautiful in an innocent and yet mature way that I'd never seen in teenagers before. It reminded me of all she'd been through.

She'd lost her parents at sixteen, fallen in love with vampires at seventeen, been killed by the original hybrid vampire, and then killed again by original vampire hybrid's sister at eighteen.

Hers was a tragic story at best.

And then it happened and I watched with an almost sickening relief as her eyes twitched.

Suddenly she gasped, her eyes flying open, and she spoke one single word.

_"Damon."_

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	4. Chapter 4

**I am so so sorry about the delay. I know I said I'd have this posted last week but my exams finished Wednesday and then I had Head Girl interviews and I haven't really had much time to write.**

**I really hope this chapter is worth the wait, so leave a review and let me know what you think!**

**Enjoy.**

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**[Elena Gilbert]**

"_Damon_."

He was there. He was really there. I opened my eyes and the only thing I could really comprehend was _him_.

For a moment, I felt like crying. He was actually there, standing in front of me. He hadn't left me, like he'd promised he wouldn't.

I took a moment to just appreciate him; my eyes raking over his flawless face, getting lost in his mercurial blue eyes.

Then I saw his expression and my happiness came crashing down around me.

"Damon?" This time my voice was laced with doubt. _Why does he look so broken?_

He just continued to stand there, his lips parted, eyes burning with a look of wonder and a sense of loss emanating from his every pore. He looked devastated, frozen in pain.

_Jeez, he looks like someone just died._

Oh my God.

Memories suddenly came flashing back to me; Rebekah standing in the middle of the road, panic as we swerved through the barrier of the bridge, desperation as murky water began to fill the car, and then pain, agonising pain as the water seared through my lungs.

I'd died in that river. I'd felt myself slipping away. _How am I still alive?_

My thoughts suddenly came to a screeching halt and I felt all the breath leave my lungs. I'd had a stroke not twelve hours earlier. It had taken a miracle to save me, and only vampire miracles had been available. It was the blood, Damon's blood that Meredith had used to heal me this morning...

It hadn't left my system. I'd died, and now... now I was transitioning.

I gasped.

**[Damon Salvatore]**

Elena gasped, and her eyes shot open.

_Thank God._

_"Damon."  
_  
I just stared at her. _Jeez, Damon, you look like a fool. Close your mouth and stop gaping_. She looked so beautiful, so mesmerising. I couldn't, for the life of me, look away from her. I wanted to cry for her. _You don't cry, Jackass. You're Damon Salvatore_! I was studiously ignoring my inner monologue, my feelings Elena rushing to the surface and taking over my mind.

She'd lost everything so young. She'd been broken so many times and now she'd been doomed to spend eternity this way. I'd never wanted this for her. I'd wanted it for myself, of course. I'd wanted to keep her by my side forever. My beautiful princess of darkness. But she deserved better, she didn't deserve this life, but now she had no choice.

_I swear, if I ever get my hands on Barbie Klaus..._

"Damon?"

She sounded scared. _Of course she's scared, dumbass. She's supposed to be dead._

I didn't know what to say to her. What could I say? "_Oh, hey Elena. You just died in that car accident and now you're turning into a vampire. That's cool right?_" How do you tell the girl you love more than anything in the world that her worst fear had just come true? I couldn't find the words to tell her what had happened; I didn't want to be the one to break her. I couldn't break her, not anymore than I already had.

And what if she chose to die? What if she decided she didn't want this life? What would I do then? It would end me. She was my life; my everything. There was no point to eternity unless I could share it with her. Even if she chose Stefan, she'd always be my Elena and I'd always be there as her fall back because I couldn't bear to let her go.

Her eyes suddenly widened and I watched the wheels turning as she put the pieces together in her mind. It took only a few seconds but it felt like an age and then she gasped.

Her eyes locked on mine and I couldn't help it. I leant over and kissed her. I don't know what came over me. I knew I shouldn't have done it and my mind was already chastising me, before I'd even broken away. She was vulnerable and confused and I was well aware of that, but I couldn't help myself.

_She smells like sunshine._

I pulled back sharply. _No!_ I couldn't do this. Not to her. Definitely not to me. My heart couldn't take much more rejection from this girl and that was certainly what I would be getting.

"I'm so sorry!" I choked, backing away from her. _Grow a pair, Damon! Stop acting like such a prissy!  
_  
Elena just blinked at me, as if unable to understand why I'd stopped.

_She wants me to kiss her?_ I shook my head vigorously and a frown appeared between her eyebrows. _She's confused._ I told myself, _She doesn't know what she wants right now. She's transitioning; Hell! She had every right to be in la la land._

"Damon? Answer me!"

She'd been speaking, and for some time apparently. She'd asked me a question and I had no idea how to answer her. I hadn't heard a word she'd said with my brain still trying to process everything that had happened.

"Um, what?" _Nice one, dumbass.  
_  
Elena sighed, trying to sit up. The movement was instantaneous, and far too quick for her, and she almost fell flat on her face.

"Easy..." I chastised her. "You can move a lot quicker now, you have to control yourself."

She glanced up at me and held my eyes for an endless moment. "I'm gonna be a vampire aren't I?"

I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the surge of pain I felt hearing the doubt in her voice. "Only if you want to." My own voice was subdued, barely masking my fear.

Elena's eyes widened. "I have a choice? If I chose to, you'd actually let me die?"

Another sharp jolt of pain. Swallowing away the tasteless lump in my throat, I managed to choke out, "If that's what you wanted."

She just sat there gazing at me, her features impassive. She was giving something some serious thought and it was frustrating as hell not to know what she was thinking or feeling.

The silence stretched on and I was beginning to panic. My mind was screaming at me to shake her or shout at her; do _something_ to make her talk to me.

Finally, _finally_ she blinked and her eyes refocused.

"Elena?"

She looked up at me, confused.

"Elena, talk to me." I pleaded.

"Do you want me to die?"

It felt like she'd slapped me. Her words hit me with earth shattering force and I felt my heart crumble a little more. _Was she serious?_

"_NO._" There was so much vehemence behind such a simple word, it was almost a growl. "How can you even say that? If you even doubt my answer in any way then your ignorance is beyond _anything_, Elena."

"So you don't want me to die?"

_My God, is she insane?_

I ran my hands through my hair in exasperation. "_No_, Elena. I love you for Christ's sake. Why would I want you to die?"

"I don't know." She muttered, swinging her legs back and forth and picking at a stray piece of cotton on her blouse.

It wasn't like Elena to act like this. She was almost never shy and she always, _always_, had some sort of witty comeback to throw at me. We were the same in so many ways.

So why did she look so nervous?

I flitted to stand in front of her at vampire speed, not even bothering to be careful. She was like me now, she could do this too. So why should I hide?

I tilted her chin up with my finger until she was forced to look at me. "Hey, 'Lena. Why are you so nervous?"

She gaped at me as if the answer was obvious. "You make me nervous." She muttered.

I laughed. This girl could so obscure sometimes. "How do I make you nervous? Good nervous or bad nervous?"

She sighed, waving her hand vaguely through the air. "You just do, okay?" Then she blushed and looked down. "Good nervous."

I stood still, the implications of her words attempting to sink in my mind but I couldn't seem to understand. _Holy fuck_. This wasn't supposed to happen. She was never supposed to admit to her feelings. I was meant to carry on pushing her and let her keep pushing me away for the rest of eternity.

This sudden shift in direction knocked me completely off guard.

"You're saying... Are you saying what I think you're trying to say?" I choked, forcing myself to focus.

Elena blushed, and her eyes locked on his, showing a hundred different emotions in a kaleidoscope of chocolate brown.

"Yes, I suppose I am."

I gaped at her. _Yeah, you look so badass now Damon. Close your mouth!_

Elena was choosing me?

No. This couldn't be right. Why would she ever choose me? _'It'll always be Stefan',_ right? I wasn't worthy of her. I'd done so many terrible things to her. How could she even think of loving me?

_You're a walking contradiction, Salvatore._

I loved her. But how could she love me? _She's delusional. _The sarcastic voice in my mind whispered, _She's transitioning. She doesn't know what she wants._

That's it. That had to be it. It was the only logical explanation, right? I resigned myself to the knowledge, even though it broke me.

"I choose you, Damon."

_Oh God_. Why was she doing this to me? Of all the terrible things I'd done, even I didn't deserve this. Surely when she came to her senses she'd regret everything and I'd be lost again.

And I didn't think I'd survive this time.

Elena was suddenly in front of me. She reached up to touch my face and I recoiled from her touch.

She looked pained at my reaction to her. Her eyes were stormy with confusion and the frown deepened between her eyebrows.

"Please don't... don't make this any harder than it already is." My voice sounded weak and scared. _Man up, Salvatore!_

Her eyes widened and filled with tears as she gasped, "You don't believe me, do you?"

I just looked at her, pleading with my eyes for her to just stop. This was just too much, even for me.

_'There's only so much hurt a man can take.'_

Jeez and was she making it difficult to deny her. She looked afraid and disappointed and all I wanted to do was kiss away the look of devastation on her face.

"Oh God, what have I done?" She suddenly blurted, tears flowing freely down her cheeks as she gazed helplessly up at me. "Have I hurt you so much that you don't think I could ever choose you? Have I screwed up that much?"

I closed my eyes, unable to look at her any longer.

"You can't love me Elena." I whispered, my voice breaking. "I'm no good for you. I've always known that. Everyone's always known that!" I opened my eyes and tried to stare anywhere but at her. "You don't know what you're saying, and when you've transitioned, you'll realise you've been delusional and I'll end up being broken and my heart can't take it, Elena, because I love you so much."

I felt tears spring to my eyes and I let them fall, not even giving a damn any more. _Dammit Salvatore. Don't fucking cry._

_Oh shut up._

Elena's eyes suddenly hardened and for a moment I thought she might hit me, but she grabbed my face between both her hands, forcing me to look at her, and kissed me.

Just like that, the battle was lost. If she changed her mind tomorrow, it would end me, but for now all I could think of was her. She was all around me and she took over everything and made me forget the world.

She tasted like strawberries and sunshine and she smelled like lilacs and just _Elena_.

"No... Wait..." I panted, trying to pull away from her. _I can't do this. I can't do this. She'll be the death of me._

"NO!" She wouldn't let me break free and I cursed her new found vampire strength. "For God's sake Damon, look at me!"

I closed my eyes and sighed in resignation; I could deny her nothing. _Might as well get it over with._ I slowly turned to face her, fear and apprehension marring my gaze and I knew she could see how scared I was because her face softened.

Her words were whispered, but full of a determination and honesty that nobody could ever deny.

"_I love you, Damon._" She said, gazing up at me. There was so much love in her eyes in that moment and I finally, _finally_, let myself believe that maybe she really did love me too.

I stared at her in awe and wonder. "You mean it?" I breathed, my whole body tense with hope and longing.

"More than anything."

_She loves me!_

For the first time in one hundred and forty five years someone chose me. In all my life, I'd always been second best, I'd never been anyone's first choice and finally after such a long time, the person I loved more than life itself was choosing me. She was perfect in every single fucking way.

I couldn't stop the honest to God smile that broke out across my face and her answering grin was breathtaking.

"You believe me now?"

I reached for her, pulling her by her hips until she was crushed tight against me.

"God, you have no idea how long I've wanted you to say those words."

I felt her giggle against my chest. "I can say them as much as you want now. We have forever together."

"Forever." I murmured. "I love you, Elena, and I'm trusting you. Forever is a very long time now."

"I know. Believe me, Damon. This is it. I was choosing you when I phoned you. I spoke to Stefan about coming to you, but I wanted to tell him about us _together_."

She sighed, folding her arms around my neck and rising up on her toes to look into my eyes. "I love you, Damon. That's not going to change, no matter what Stefan says, okay? I've been running from my feelings for so long and now that I've finally admitted them, I feel free. I can finally love you the way I've wanted to for a very, very long time."

I just grinned.

Of course I still felt the presence of the same fear that would probably always be buried inside me; the fear that, someday, Elena would wake up and decide I wasn't enough for her. I would always be afraid that one day I would make a big enough mistake, do something so bad, that she'd never forgive me. I'd always be scared that she'd leave me and I'd have forever to wonder _what if_.

I didn't know how long I would have her and I certainly didn't deserve her, but I would enjoy her for as long as she would let me.

I bent down and kissed her, losing myself in her all over again.

It was from my own stupidity that I wasn't aware of my surroundings, and it was my fault alone when I didn't hear the footsteps.

It was only when the doors smashed open and Stefan stormed in that I realised how stupid it was to let my guard down, even for a second. We were still in the morgue of Mystic Falls general and we'd just been caught kissing by the worst possible person

I watched as Elena sprang back, her eyes widening at the look of pure unadulterated rage plastered on Stefan's face.

In a show of determination and belief, I took her hand and squeezed her fingers.

She shot me a small graceful smile before she faced Stefan who was burning holes in our clasped hands with his penetrating gaze.

"Stefan..."

Stefan's expression was blank; like he was supposed to remember something, but he'd suddenly forgotten in the face of something important.

He looked up, first at Elena, then me, and a deathly glower appeared on his face.

"Leave, Elena. Now. Go and get in the car." Stefan's voice was unnaturally calm, his body tense.

"No! I want to be here! You can't just dismiss me. You can't just send me-"

Elena's voice suddenly cut off and, at the same time, I heard it. A human heart beat, waiting just outside the room. The kiss and Stefan's anger were suddenly forgotten as the room dropped into an icy silence.

I watched with quiet panic as Elena's body went tense and her eyes turned wild. Her face vamped out, and before either Stefan or I could react, she was across the room. She had the human pushed up against the wall of the corridor and, as she stared into her brother's eyes, there was no recognition.

She dove for his throat, her bloodlust taking over.

And then Jeremy started to scream.

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**I know I'm evil for leaving it there, but the next chapter will hopefully be up sometime during the week.**

**Don't expect Elena and Damon's ride to be an easy one guys because there's a hell of a bumpy road up ahead.**

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	5. Chapter 5

**I am so sorry (again) for the delay. I deleted and re-wrote this chapter four times because it didn't seem right.**

**Anyways, here's chapter 5!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries.**

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**[Damon Salvatore]**

I flashed forward without a second thought, yanking Elena away from her brother and pinning her against the wall by her throat.

She snarled at me, fighting against my hold, but I was over a century older and a hell of a lot stronger.

"Jeremy, go! Go find Meredith; she'll know what to do to heal you."

The boy's throat was ripped open and he was bleeding but he didn't seem to notice. The scent was all around me but I barely felt the temptation of it. Jeremy just stood staring at his sister, terrified and appalled at the same time.

_Why does nobody ever listen to me?_

"Jeremy! Go, now!"

The tone of my voice was demanding, it had always been the serious voice I reserved for compulsion, and it seemed to snap him out of his reverie.

He took off, running to the end of the hall as quickly as he could. I watched him go and waited until I knew he'd gotten far enough away before turning back to Elena.

She was still fighting me, snarling savagely. She was still on instinct, and to anyone else, it would have been terrifying, but after five lifetimes of being a vampire, she was hardly scary.

"Elena. Stop, now!"

Elena suddenly froze. Her eyes widened, she sagged in my arms.

She was shaking violently, gasping for breath. "Oh God... Oh my God... What did I do...?" She was sobbing almost hysterically and I noted with somewhat perplexity that Stefan hadn't moved at all.

"Elena, hush. Come on baby, its okay." I kept whispering soothing words to her but she wouldn't calm down.

"I can't..." She gasped, "I just... My brother... I can't... I hurt... My brother."

I pulled her against me, tucking her head under my chin, and wrapped my arms around her. "Elena, we knew it would happen." I murmured, softly caressing the small of her back with my fingertips. "Control isn't natural. It's taken me one hundred and fifty years to become what I am now. You need to learn to control the hunger, and you will. I'll help you." I leaned back and tipped her chin up with my finger. "I'll make you better okay?"

She looked up at me, tears still swimming in her eyes and nodded shakily. She wrapped her arms around my waist and snuggled her face into my chest. I kissed her head softly.

"I love you, Damon."

Stefan made a strangled choking sound from around the corner and he finally moved. His eyes were haunted when he emerged from the morgue.

"You're a vampire?" He breathed, his eyes locked on the sliver of blood smeared over her lips.

Elena noticed and used the back of her hand to wipe it away. She gave him a tight smile and nodded as more tears streamed fresh down her face.

Stefan looked disgusted. His eyes were filled with horror and it was stamped clearly across his face. My brother had always been the broody, I-must-express-my-emotions-or-I-will-die type. It had never really been my thing, and now more than ever, I wished Stefan would just cut it out. It would only make the situation worse if Elena could read him as well as I could.

"'Lena..." I muttered in her ear, "We have to get you back to the boarding house. You need more blood to complete the transition."

Stefan's expression became worse. "You're actually choosing to turn?" His voice was accusing and I glared at him over Elena's shoulder.

_Shut the fuck up, you idiot!_ I wanted to punch him right there._ Way to go._

"Stefan..." Elena reached out tentatively to touch his arm but he took a step back in recoil. I watched her face fall and fresh tears fill her eyes.

_Well done, jackass._ Little brother had never been big on tact and diplomacy. He'd always preferred to be a say-what-you-feel kinda guy; emotion before action. I'd always thought it was ridiculous, all the brooding and sulking. We were vampires and there was nothing either of us could do about it. Why not just enjoy life? We were stuck with this life but it was our choice how to live it. As was the same with Elena. It was vampirism or death for her now, and it was her choice alone to make.

Of course, little brother would try to guilt her into choosing to die, and there was no way in hell I was going to let that happen.

I needed to get her out of there before Stefan caused me to do something I wouldn't regret.

"Let's go."

I pulled her by her arm, practically yanking her away from Stefan and through the emergency exit at the end of the corridor. She stumbled along behind me as I strode angrily from the building.

She seemed in a daze and I, myself, wasn't thinking too clearly. Too much had happened today and my brain hadn't caught up to the adrenaline rush yet. I was working on instinct and I didn't know how much longer I could keep going.

The parking lot was deserted and night air was cooling against my skin as I led Elena to my brother's car. _Screw him, he can run home._I thought bitterly. Being out in the soft breeze cleared my head slightly and I tried to calm my thoughts.

Klaus was dead. So was Alaric. Elena had drowned and woken as a vampire. She'd chosen me. _She chose me_.

That, I couldn't wrap my head around. It was difficult to believe that she'd actually chosen me. I kept doubting, thinking maybe it was the hormonal changes from her transition and she'd wake up tomorrow morning, guilty and regretful.

For the first time since I was human, I was scared of the future.

The doors to the hospital suddenly opened and a group of six, maybe seven, people strolled out into the lot. _Shit._

My hand tightened around Elena's wrist and I pulled her against my chest when I felt her stiffen. "I know it's hard," I said into her hair, "But control it. Don't breathe."

I felt her stop instantly. She became a perfect statue in my arms; not moving, not breathing, and I held her securely as the group moved closer.

I envied her sudden bout of control.

I inhaled deeply and my own muscles tensed. _Damn, I'm hungry._The scent of human blood surrounded me and I realised I hadn't eaten in days. Getting my ass kicked by the newly-original-original-vampire clearly hadn't helped things. The thirst was suddenly stronger, burning in my throat and muscles. I breathed in again. The scent was heavenly; life, essence, hunger, passion. I craved it. I felt my control slip an inch and my grip on Elena' shoulders loosened infinitesimally.

_No._ I had better control than that. Dammit! I _could _control it.

I inhaled again, this time pushing thoughts of hunger away and embracing the need to protect Elena.

Keeping my arms locked around her chest, I stopped breathing and gently led her to the car, pulling the door open and practically shoving her in.

The group was drawing closer and the hunger was clawing at my chest, stronger and stronger.

_I have to get out of here._

It was difficult, more difficult than it had been in a very long time, to deny myself the indulgence. Before Elena, I wouldn't have thought twice about draining them all.

But I wasn't that man anymore. I was better than that; and now I had to teach Elena control. Who was I to preach about self-restraint if I couldn't find the strength not to kill seven innocent people?

I could do it. For her, I'd find the strength.

"You're hungry too." Elena stated as I climbed in the driver's side. Her eyes were challenging, her own hunger momentarily overshadowed by her worry for me. _No shit_.

"Let's get you home."

She sighed, her hands gripping the leather seat beneath her. "Don't deflect, Damon. You're hungry, I can see it. You're tense and jittery and you need to eat too."

I slammed on the gas, speeding out of the parking lot and onto the main road.

"Can we just make sure you don't die first? Then we'll worry about my needs."

I watched her purse her lips and shake her head. _Damn, sometimes that girl could be so frustrating._She was always more worried about me or Caroline, or Bonnie or Stefan; always putting herself on the line to save everyone else. She seemed to care more for the well-being of everyone else than for herself and while it showed that she really cared for us, it made my job to keep her safe even harder.

"Don't pout, Elena."

"I'm not pouting. I'm hungry and edgy and tired and emotional and you're an ass."

I raised an eyebrow, "I'm an ass?"

"Yes."

"How am I an ass?"

She frowned, her brows drawing down and together. "You're so mercurial." She ran a hand through her hair, "It's like you run on dodgy wiring; you're either passionately emotional or completely detached."

"I am?" This was news to me.

"I mean, you're so puzzling. Its one of the reasons I love you, but it's also one of the most frustrating things about you."

_One of the reasons I love you. _The words shimmered and rang through my mind. Would I ever get used to hearing her say that?

I laughed. "The feeling's mutual. I never know how you'll react to anything. I think you'll do one thing and you surprise me by doing something else." I waved my hand vaguely around the car. "This for one; we're having this perfectly normal conversation, like you're not transitioning into a vampire and as if the hunger isn't eating away at you, pun intended, like there's no tomorrow."

Elena blinked at me. "You're one to talk about hunger, Mr. Salvatore. Because it was so easy for you to turn away from the scent of human blood back in that parking lot, wasn't it?" Her expression was arrogant and surprisingly similar to mine.

"Touché, Miss. Gilbert. But I must say, you've been spending way too much time with me."

She giggled and I decided right there that it was my favourite sound in the world. She sounded so carefree and young. It was refreshing to hear, especially in light of recent events. Lately, it has been hard to find happy enough times to just smile and laugh.

"So you admit it then?" She asked as we pulled into the driveway at the boarding house.

"Admit what?"

"That you're just as starving as I am."

I sighed, slamming the car door as I got out. "Yes, Elena. Okay? But_ I. Am. Fine_. Can I just figure out how to help you first, please? I can go a hell of a lot longer than you can without blood, believe me."

She looked away, suddenly shy, and it took me off guard.

"I'm sorry." She muttered.

I grasped her chin in my hand and leaned down to her level. "Why the hell are you sorry?"

She looked up at me, anxious and confused. "I care about you, Damon. I don't want you to be hurting. I know you're just trying to take care of me, but I'm just as worried about you."

Her words shook me. On some level, I knew she cared about me. Yet every time, with a simple action or a soft revelation, it hit me all over again. What had I ever done to deserve Elena Gilbert?

She was a transitioning vampire. The only thing she should be capable of thinking of should be blood. Yet, she was fighting every natural instinct in her body because of her love for me.

The knowledge was liberating.

"God, I love you." I breathed.

Elena grinned, reaching up to kiss me quickly and surprising me again. "I love you too."

She quickly turned on her heal, moving to lead me into the house, but she stumbled and almost lost her footing.

Fear shot through me like a bullet and in seconds I had pulled us both through the house to the cellar.

"Wha-?"

"Just do as I say, Elena. Please. Your energy's fading, you need to feed. Now."

She nodded, her eyes round and scared, but also accepting. It was disarming.

"Wait here." I ordered her, hoping that for once in her life she would actually listen to me.

I sped over to the freezer, pausing temporarily to make sure she hadn't moved. I didn't know how she'd take to the idea of actually drinking blood, so I tried to make it as easy as possible for her.

I instantly regretted opening the freezer as soon as the smell hit me. _Damn this would be hard._ My muscles were tensed and it took every ounce of self-control to just pick up a bag and close the freezer. _There'll be time for that later, Salvatore. Elena's more important._ I took a deep breath and turned to the wine shelf nearby.

_What has this girl turned me into?_ She really was a miracle. Yes, it was cheesy and cliché, but she was, quite frankly, my reason. She'd taken me, ripped me apart, scattered the pieces, and then slowly put them all back together again. She was the definition of Heaven and the synonym of Hell.

She'd put me through so much; none less than I deserved. I'd pined for her and followed her around like a lost puppy for the better part of three years, and she'd broken my newly healed heart more times than I'd ever care to remember, but at the end of the day, she'd always been my saviour.

Now it was my turn to repay the favour. I'd been trying and trying to make sure she was safe, I'd put my own life on the line countless times, and yet some act of stupidity somewhere along the line put her in more danger than she'd originally started with.

It was ridiculously frustrating; but this time just took the biscuit.

Somehow I had to find out what had happened. I wanted to know how much to torture Barbie Klaus before I killed the bitch. I was furious just thinking about it. I wanted to break something or set something on fire. I didn't know, but the anger and hunger and tension was biting away at my control constantly.

"Here you go." I handed her a glass of blood, scrutinising her reaction carefully. "I'm sorry you have to do this."

Elena looked puzzled as she accepted the glass. "Why are you apologising? I chose this Damon."

I shrugged, nonchalantly. "This is new to you. My... _Our_ lifestyle is not something most people would take lightly."

She grinned, "I'm not most people." Then she raised the glass to her lips, nodded once, and knocked it back, drinking it down in four long gulps.

She shivered once, and then turned to face me. "Isn't anything supposed to happen?"

I laughed, a genuine, breathless laugh. "No, Elena. Nothing dramatic. What did you expect? To sprout fangs and go on a rampage?"

Elena blushed, "Yeah, basically." She muttered.

"Doesn't quite work like that, 'Lena."

She smiled shyly. "Would it be a jinx for me to say I think this might be easier than I expected?"

_What?_ "Why do you say that?"

She shrugged, "Well I don't feel the urge to kill anyone right now. So that's good right?"

_Oh, how naive. _"No, it won't be that easy, but I'm going to help you. It's harder around humans, and the hunger never really goes away."

"Oh."

I moved forward, taking the empty glass from her hand and setting it down on the counter. I cupped her cheeks in my hands and pulled her face up to look at me. "I'll help you, Elena. I promise you, I won't leave you."

"I know."

"_Damon!"_

The mood shattered as a shaky voice echoed from the ground floor of the boarding house and the front door slammed violently on its hinges.

I winced. _That's antique wood, Blondie._

Elena stood in wonder. She could hear as clearly as I could now. _It must be strange for her._ I remembered all the years I spent alone, trying to adjust to this new lifestyle and I vowed to myself that Elena would never go through the same thing I did. I would _always_ be there to look after her.

"Coming!" I called upstairs.

Elena snapped back to the present and gaped at me wide eyed. "What do I do?" She mouthed, "She thinks I'm dead!"

_This is going to go well._ How would Barbie react to the news? Probably better than Stefan. Maybe. Hopefully.

"Stay here and wait until I call you." I mouthed back.

I waited until she nodded before speeding back up to greet Caroline.

"Damon!" She cried when she saw me, "It's Elena..." She had mascara smeared all over her face, her hands trembling at her sides, and she looked a complete wreck. _She loves Elena too, dumbass. It's not only you._ Caroline Forbes wouldn't be caught dead (literally) looking anything close to how she looked then. It was almost laughable.

"Caroline... I need you to listen to me..." I coaxed.

"_No!_ How can you just stand here? How can you be so normal when Elena-" She hiccupped, "Elena's dead... My best friend is dead..."

Damon shook his head, moving closer to her. "Caroline, yes she's dead." Caroline made a strangled sobbing sound and raised her head to speak. "No! Listen. Let me finish."

She nodded, hiccupping and crying equally. _Yuck._

"Yes, Elena is dead. But she's not _dead_." I stressed.

"What are you saying?"

I sighed; did I really have to spell it out? _It's Barbie, of course you do._

"Elena's a vampire, Caroline."

She looked like I'd slapped her, and for a moment I even considered doing it. _Temper, Damon._ She stood silently in denial, shaking softly as she let my words sink in. She shook her head, her golden locks bouncing on her shoulders and her eyes turned hopeful.

"How?" She breathed.

"Meredith gave her blood when she was rushed in this morning, and when she died this afternoon..." I trailed off, not needing to finish. We both knew how it worked. _Been there, done that._

Caroline nodded again, as if trying to convince herself of something. Suddenly, she sniffed, wiped her eyes, smudging more mascara across her face, and steeled her shoulders. "Can I see her?"

I smiled weakly. "Elena! You can come up now?"

In seconds, she was up the stairs and launching herself at her best friend.

"Caroline!"

Both girls started crying and hugging and I suddenly felt awkward. This was too girly and emotional for me. I hovered, sort of awkwardly, pretending to be interested in the paneling on the walls. There was a scratch in the paintwork and I made a mental note to fix it. I tried to give them some space to be all huggy and feminine, really I did, but after a while, it got a bit ridiculous.

I cleared my throat and the girls broke apart. Caroline glared at me from behind Elena and grabbed her hand. _Territorial as always._

Great, Elena hadn't told Blondie about us. Obviously she was "Team Stefan", Caroline was a hopeless romantic. I was surprised though, that Elena hadn't at least discussed her new choice with her best friend. _What time did she have? She died, came back to life and only told you an hour ago, jackass._

I rolled my eyes and walked back into the parlour. _I need alcohol._ Yes, alcohol always helped. I poured myself a tumbler of bourbon and leant casually against the wall as Caroline ushered Elena into the room.

She handled the new vampire as if she were breakable, which was almost sickeningly ironic, seeing as she's just become as far from breakable as was inhumanly possible.

"Alright Barbie, I want to know what's been happening." I demanded, pushing off from the wall and stalking forward.

Caroline suddenly looked slightly afraid. "Ugh, Damon... I don't think you really want me to tell you."

I looked across to Elena, expecting her to be as curious as I was, but she was looking anywhere but at me. Was that guilt on her face?

"Elena..." I murmured, but she shook her head, kissed me on the cheek, and moved away.

Caroline watched her carefully, an almost piteous look on her face. "She chose then..." She muttered under her breath, almost resentfully.

Elena and I both turned to glare at her simultaneously.

"You're turning into Bonnie with all the judging, Care." Elena shot at her.

_Aha! There's my girl._ I almost laughed out loud. She'd always been feisty as hell, and now that was intensified by the transition. _This should be fun._

Caroline blinked rapidly, as surprised as I was by Elena's dig. "Sorry."

I tried to hide a smirk as Blondie withered under Elena's glare. _Watch out Mystic Falls, Elena Gilbert is BACK._

Recovering her composure, and wiping the confused frown from her face, Caroline turned to me with a serious expression. "You wanted to know what happened to Elena, and clearly she doesn't want to tell you herself, so I guess it's down to me."

Elena's confidence dropped instantly and she suddenly looked lost and afraid; weary even. Of me? Surely not...

"Elena called me to tell me she was going back to the boarding house to meet you, so I thought she was safe. I honestly thought she could make a simple journey across town without getting herself killed." She turned and gave Elena an exasperated glance and the brunette shrugged apologetically.

"Go on." I was impatient. Could she just cut to the chase already? The tension was killing me and I was one step away from emptying the entire freezer of blood and ripping someone's head off.

"Yeah, well-"

"Me and Matt were driving over Wickery Bridge," Elena cut in, "When Rebekah suddenly appeared in the road. She was only a few feet from the car, and Matt couldn't stop in time, so he..." She stopped and took a deep breath, the memories clearly raw and painful in her eyes, "He swerved and we smashed the barrier of the bridge and the next thing I knew we were surrounded by water and the doors were water-locked."

_Rebekah._ I had to keep calm. Story now; reaction later. "I know about Rebekah. Go on."

_Why do I need to hear any more?_ Was I trying to torture myself? No. There was more to the story than they were letting on. That's why Caroline was so edgy, whatever came after this was what would be the final straw. They knew I would kick off, but how bad could it be?

"Well, we were struggling; _I _was struggling. Matt was unconscious, he'd hit his head on the steering wheel when we broke the barrier. I was thinking about my parent's accident and fighting to open the door, but I couldn't."

She stopped and eyed me wearily and I knew that this was the most important bit.

"And then Stefan was there." She said softly, "He opened the door and tried to grab me, but I wouldn't let him. I told him to save Matt first and come back for me. Of course I knew I'd be dead by then, but I couldn't let Matt die because of me. And Stefan did it. He did as I asked, and he saved Matt and... I died."

I swear if my heart had been beating, it would've stopped right then. Of all the things she could've said to me, I had never in a million years expected that. Surely Stefan wasn't that _stupid!_

_Stefan._ I was so fucking angry, I wanted to murder someone. I was struggling to breathe, even though I didn't need the oxygen. I couldn't think, I acted on instinct.

I watched Elena's eyes widen in horror at the pure, unadulterated rage in mine and she reached for me.

"Damon..."

I ran.

It was an instinctive reaction. I flew to the basement and pulled out three blood bags, downing them in seconds and relishing the relinquishment of the hunger. I picked up another, just as Elena and Caroline came through the door.

"Damon... you need to calm down."

"CALM DOWN!" I snarled "My _stupid_, idiotic, _martyr_ of a brother let you _die,_ Elena! How can you ask me to _calm down_? It's his fault. This is all his fault. Look what he's _done_ to you Elena. You didn't want this. You never wanted this. _He took away your choice._ I've been there Elena, he's done it to me; and he's not getting away with it this time. I promise you."

Then without a word, I took off again. I had to leave. I had to find my brother and he had to pay.

Running was a relief. The speed and stamina I'd regained from the blood was exhilarating and it helped to ease some of the tension in my muscles.

I knew exactly where to find my brother. He had always been sentimental and I could almost predict his every move. Almost.

I found him at Wickery Bridge, standing by the broken barrier and gazing broodingly out over the lake. _How ironic._ The thought was almost a sneer. My head was so crazed and angry. Everything was tinted red with rage and all I wanted to do was cause destruction.

Stefan picked up a rock from the road side and hurled it with brutal force across the lake. It smashed into a tree one the other bank and there was a resounding crack before the branch crashed into the water with an echoing thump.

"What have I done?" He breathed.

"What have you done indeed." I snarled. "Hello, brother."

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**REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I had pointed out to me that I made a timeline error, so for the sake of this story, I'm going to continue using the "three year" timeline as opposed to the show timeline because it will get too complicated. But still, thank you for pointing it out!**

**Anyway, enough of my rambling.**

**Here's Chapter 6!**

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**[Damon Salvatore]**

"Damon."

Seriously? No reaction at all? I stood still, practically gaping at my brother's complete lack of self-preservation. I'd known he was stupid; I'd been trying to show the world how simple he was for over a century, but even I didn't think his stupidity could ever sink this low.

Could he not _feel _how furious I was? I was shaking. My self-control was practically bionic in that moment. I was surprised at my own restraint and couldn't understand how I hadn't yet ripped his heart out and torn him to pieces.

_He's your brother, Damon. Could you really kill him?_

I watched him stoically as he tossed another rock out over the water. He still hadn't turned to face me. _Dangerous move, brother. _In the mood I was in, I_ could _kill him and he wouldn't even see it coming. The silence stretched on until I could stand it no longer.

"How can you just stand there?" I demanded. "How can you just pretend nothing happened?" My voice was calm, dangerously calm, and even I could hear the iciness there. Stefan squared his shoulders in response.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, turning to face me at last. He looked devastated and broken, but I had no sympathy for him. This was his fault. He'd done this. Not me.

"Sorry? That's all you got?" I couldn't believe his nerve. Was he trying to provoke me, because it was sure working! "After what you've done... You _killed_ Elena. You let her die! And then you stood in that hospital, sickened by what you've made her. You've cursed her, Stefan; damned her to an eternity of this life, and all you can say is _sorry_?"

Stefan just stared at me, blankly.

"Say something!" I snarled.

"I don't know what I can say." Self-pity was raging in his conflicted green eyes and I almost lost it. _Temper, Damon._

That was always my problem. I almost scoffed out loud at the thought. I was always too impulsive, or too temperamental. I never thought before I acted and yes, I admit that most of the time, I ended up in trouble or making things worse, but this time was different. My snap decisions would have saved Elena's life in this situation. I resented my brother for that.

Had it been me who had won the coin toss, Elena would still be human.

But then again, luck had never really been on my side.  
_  
He doesn't know what to say._Wallowing in his righteousness over me had always been Stefan's forte, but now the roles were reversed and I planned to play my part well.

I took a step forward and Stefan leant back slightly, shuffling his weight onto his right leg, and preparing to react. _He expects me to fight him._I laughed bitterly. There would be no contest if it came to that.

I'd wait, bide my time until he least expected it. My instincts were screaming at me to just hit him or do something to relieve the tension in my muscles. I physically ached with all the combined emotions running through my mind and it was setting my body on hyper drive.

So I laughed. "That's because there's nothing you _can _say, Stefan. This is your fault. You did this to her, the same way you did to me 148 years ago. I had no choice, and now neither does Elena."

"That was different!" Stefan suddenly burst out. "I forced you to_ turn_ Damon. I wanted my brother for my by side. _I'm _not the one convincing Elena to complete the transition! She could die if she wanted to!"

I moved even closer so I was right up in his face and _damn_ did it feel good to see him shrink away from the fury in my eyes. "She did have a choice. She chose me, Stefan. She chose forever with _me_. I didn't force her into anything. She did it all by herself and now, no matter what you say, you can't change it."

Stefan gasped and the revulsion returned to his eyes. "She turned?"

"Less than an hour ago."

Stefan's body sagged, like he'd suddenly given up the will to fight. He looked infinitely tired, like the weight of the world's problems had suddenly become too much for him.

"I would be with her now, _helping her_, if it wasn't for you." I said, harshly. I didn't give a damn how he was acting. No matter what he felt, it didn't matter. I was still running on adrenaline and sympathy was not something I even considered feeling for him in that moment.

The memories from only hours earlier, those three painful, mind-numbing hours where I thought Elena was dead and gone forever, were still fresh and clear in my mind, fueling my temper.

Stefan took a step toward me, suddenly braver and more daring, his emotions seeming to snap instantly. He'd made some sort of rash decision and changed his mind about something. It was disarming, and slightly creepy... "So I'm worth leaving her for then?" He smarted back, "Nice to know you still care, brother."

I growled at him, my voice suddenly low and deadly, "The only reason I haven't ripped your heart out through your throat is because of her." We were nose to nose and I saw the new found strength in Stefan's eyes thaw slightly. "It would hurt her, so much, if I killed you, because she loves you too. I'm not going to pretend she doesn't, because we both know she does."

A smug smirk was forming on his lips and my fist twitched at my side, ready to punch him.

"If it wasn't for her, and her love for you, you'd be dead by now." I stated bluntly, "I don't care that you're my brother, what you've done, there's no going back from. But I promise you this; you do anything to hurt her again, _ever_, and I will hunt you down and tear you limb from limb. Understand?"

Stefan just blinked at me impassively. "She made her choice, Damon. She chose to become a vampire. What I did only pushed her closer to you. You should be grateful." St. Stefan was back as suddenly as he'd disappeared. His usual Holier-than-thou demeanour making him believe the world owed him everything. It was irritating to the point of being ridiculous.

"_Grateful?_" I asked incredulously, "Are you fucking serious? You made her a _monster _Stefan!"

"Like you, you mean?"

My control snapped and I couldn't hold back any longer. Before he could even see it coming, my fist had smashed into his face with the force of every emotion in my body. I heard the sickening crunch as his nose and jaw bone cracked and vindictive pleasure washed through me.

Stefan jumped back up with a growl, immediately falling into a protective stance as he clicked his jaw bone back into the socket, wincing at the pain that followed.

"You idiot!" I snarled, "Can't you see? _You're _the monster, Stefan. She would have_ died_ if she hadn't made the transition. If you love her as much as you claim to, as much as _I _do, you'd want her alive in any way, shape or form, rather than lying cold on that slab in the morgue."

Stefan was re-setting his nose into place as the healing began and he looked at me with pity and superiority raging in his eyes.

"She's not Elena anymore, Damon. The Elena we knew was caring and loving; _human_." He stepped towards me, confidence radiating from his every step. He was suddenly sure of himself, convinced he could take me on. "This Elena, vampire Elena, she won't be the same Elena we fell in love with."

"You think that excuses what you've done?"

Stefan shook his head sadly. "I killed her, and I hate myself for what I've done. I thought she would die human. If I'd known..." He paused, took a deep breath, and looked me straight in the eye. "The Elena we fell in love with was honest and selfless and _human_. I can't stress that enough. But as a vampire, we don't know who she'll be. It changes people, Damon, and it's only a matter of time before she turns into Katherine."

I stood stock still, Stefan's green eyes still blazing into mine. I wanted to kill him, I was livid and I couldn't breathe. It took me a split second to make the decision. I didn't stop and I certainly didn't think; I just launched myself at him.

With a wordless noise of pure rage, I charged him. Smashing my hand into his ribs with brutal force and revelling in the sickening crunch that followed.

Stefan shoved me back, scrambling to his feet. "Damon, don't do this."

I stalked forward, and watched Stefan cower at the wrathful emotions clearly burning in my eyes. "Why not?" I snarled, "You are a selfish, indignant, moronic, _cowardly_, son of a bitch."

"I told the truth, Damon. You just can't accept that."

My vision was tinted red with fury, my body moving on instinct, crashing into my brother once again and sending us both tumbling over the broken barrier and into the watery depths.

"_She is not Katherine!"_

* * *

**[Elena Gilbert]**

_Where is he?_

Damon had just taken off in a fit of rage, storming from the boarding house and running off into the woods.

I had to find him. If he found Stefan... God only knows what he would've done to his brother.

Stefan's look of disgust back in the morgue had put a lot of things into perspective for me. I thought I'd known love with Stefan, truly I did; but with Damon, everything was different.

With Stefan, I'd felt safe and secure. But it wasn't enough. Stefan had thrived on protecting me. He had loved my humanity; my compassion and sympathy, all the things that he could connect to that would keep him grounded. He needed the link between himself and his emotions so that he could express them and keep hold of his humanity. I had always been his anchor and he had been the safety I needed to grieve for my parents.

Damon, on the other hand, was passionate and fiery. He was impulsive and temperamental and he made rash decisions in the heat of the moment. He was _consuming_. He loved me for who I was inside. He didn't try to change me or mold me into some twisted image of perfect. He accepted who I was because all his life people had tried to change _him. _Nobody ever loved him for just being himself, and he had always known how it felt to have to live up to expectations. He kept himself locked away; bravado in place to keep his feelings hidden because he was so scared of being hurt, and _God_ had I hurt him so many times, but still he loved me.

_He still loved me_. Despite that I had turned, knowing that I wouldn't be the same; that I wouldn't be _human_. He still chose to accept me, because he loved me unconditionally. The pure horror and revulsion in Stefan's eyes had opened mine to what I had been ignoring.

And now Damon was out there somewhere, in the mood to kill that very brother. This was so screwed up.

Why couldn't life in Mystic Falls ever be easy? Everything bad seemed to come at us from all sides.

'_It's Mystic Falls; nothing bad ever happens here.'_

There was a memory at the edge of my mind. With an eerie sense of déjà vu, I grasped at the thought, but before I could fully understand it, it was gone again, as quickly as it had come.

I had the feeling that it was definitely a memory; something important that I needed to remember, but I just couldn't hold onto it long enough to figure it out.

"Elena, we have to go!" Caroline's shrill voice brought me back to the task at hand. _Damon._ I had to find Damon.

We drove aimlessly for what felt like hours. We checked everywhere we could possibly think of and we called every person we knew, and there we found nothing.

Caroline had given up hope far too long ago, and annoying as it was, I couldn't blame her.

We were driving back to the boarding house after finally giving up and resigning to waiting, when Caroline suddenly stomped on the breaks, sending me flying forward in my seat.

"OW Care! I might be a vampire, but _ow?_" I whined.

"Sorry! But I just had a brainwave!" She was bouncing in her seat, looking exceptionally pleased with herself, and for a moment I could understand why Damon had little patience with her; her everything-is-kittens-shitting-glitter attitude went a bit too far sometimes, especially in situations like these.

"Caroline..."

She stopped, rolling her eyes at me. "You spend too much time with Damon, Gilbert." It was my turn to roll my eyes and she laughed. Then her face straightened and she switched the engine back on. "I know where they are Elena; both of them."

She made an immediate U-turn and headed back across town.

I was getting more and more annoyed with her by the second. "Stop stalling, Caroline. Where are they?"

"Wickery Bridge."

**[Damon Salvatore]**

"This shirt was expensive, you idiot."

I was bent over, palms resting on my knees, gasping for air I didn't even need. Stefan had ripped my t-shirt down the middle as he fought to push me under the water. It was shamelessly hilarious to watch him attempt to pull me under, and after tossing him thirty feet further out into the lake, I swam ashore and waited for him to surface.

Apparently he hadn't heard my comment, as he pulled himself up onto the embankment and rasped for breath. "Look what you did!" He sounded like a petulant child.

I just laughed, wringing the stagnant water from my ruined shirt. "I didn't do anything brother. You pissed me off. I'd even go for round two but I need to get back to Elena."

"Oh yes, can't leave another Petrova waiting, can we Damon?" Stefan drawled, "You were always at Katherine's beck and call too, weren't you? History might just be repeating itself."

He was definitely after a fight, and I was itching to give in. Normally, little bro was the peace keeper, the righteous model of all that is decorum, but something had changed. He was acting like the Ripper. Somehow, suddenly, he was being rash and forthright, provoking me. Suspicious wasn't a strong enough word.

"That's what _love_ is, brother." I snapped back. "If she needs me, I'm there for her, no matter what. Which is more than I can say for you."

Stefan shook his hair out and slicked it back from his face, wiping way the trickles of water that slid down his cheeks. "Well, _brother_, you should get back before this Doppelganger gets bored of you too."

Now, keep in mind that there has only ever been so much of Stefan's bullshit that I'm able to take before I react in one way or another. Therefore, in my mind, my actions were completely justified.

And when I charged forward and aimed my knee at his crutch, _hard_, I felt no remorse whatsoever.

He doubled over in pain, collapsing to his knees in the dirt. "What the hell?" He groaned.

"Haven't you learnt yet, brother?" I grinned down at him, "One hundred and fifty years later and you _still_ underestimate me. I _love_ her, and I'll fight for her and beside her as long as she needs me."

Stefan laughed cruelly. "I loved her too, Damon. But she's not Elena anymore, and you're just a lovesick fool if you can't see that."

"You don't know anything, brother."

He rose to his feet, wincing at the pain that lanced through him, and slinked forward. I kept my eyes locked on him, knowing he'd try to hit me back. "Haven't you taken a minute to think about it all?" He asked, "She couldn't decide between us, Damon. She wanted us both, just like Katherine did. It wasn't until she died that she decided to choose you. What does that say about her, _brother_?"

I sighed. This was about her decisions; of course it was. "FYI, she was coming to see me before you killed her." Stefan looked taken aback for a moment and I ploughed on, "And her decision had nothing to do with my persuasion or lack thereof. The same goes for her transition; I expected her to choose to turn about as much as you did, but then Elena's always managed to beguile me."

I chuckled under my breath. _Oh yes, she'd always been a frustrating one._ I couldn't get into her head; I thought she'd say or do something, react in a certain way, and she'd do the complete opposite. She was so difficult to figure out and after so long of being able to read people like a book... well, it was challenging to say the least.

But I liked a good challenge.

"Does that not worry you?"

_He doesn't give up does he?_

I sighed, exasperated. "Does what worry me, Stefan?" My voice was deadpan, and I simply didn't care for his angst anymore.

"That her decisions are suddenly so different." He raised his eyebrows at me.

"Did you not listen to a word I just said?"

He raised his arms in surrender. "Okay, okay, whatever. But don't say I didn't warn you. You know, she just has a lot of people who care about her, a lot of influence around her..."

_What the hell was that supposed to mean?_ "Just spit it out already. I have places to go, people to see."

Stefan shrugged non-commitedly and I rolled my eyes. _Yep, he's definitely channeling his inner Ripper._ "Well, Bonnie hates your guts, and always has, and Caroline has always been "Team Stefan", so to speak. Not to mention your track record with women. Who's to say that Elena won't start believing in all the rumours?"

This was a new angle. He was playing me, it was obvious. He knew where to hit me and where it would hurt the most, and yet, even though I knew this, I still felt the doubt creeping into my thoughts.

What if she really did think she was only a temporary thing to me? She couldn't possibly. She knew me better than anyone, didn't she?

_He's trying to unravel you. Man up and fight back!_

"You sure this isn't just the insecurities talking, Stef?" I pursed my lips, "I mean, you lost the girl this time and you've always been a sore loser. I think you should leave town for a while, you did promise, right _brother?"_

I inched closer till we were nose to nose and ordered, "Go lick your wounds, clean up your act, become a lone wolf and come back next millennia. Although actually, I'm sure Katherine would be _more_ than happy to pick up Elena's sloppy seconds, don't you think?" I raised my eyebrows and almost laughed at his expression.

Stefan looked like I'd slapped him cleanly across the face. His tough guy facade suddenly vanishing into thin air and the levity of what he'd actually done hit him like a ton of bricks.

But I didn't wait. He'd pissed me off and I honestly didn't have the forgiveness in me to deal with him right then. I needed to get back to Elena, I felt bad enough for leaving her in the first place, and guilt seemed to be my speciality when it came to her.

I ran back to the house in record time. The lights were on and I could see Caroline through the front window. I stepped forward, and she sensed the movement, turning instantly to look at me and suddenly I knew something was wrong.

Her eyes were wide and fearful, glistening with unshed tears and my body tensed, ready to spring into action.

I watched horror stricken face and my heart clenched with fear. _Elena?_

As if she could sense my thoughts, Caroline shook her head and ever so subtly nodded to just beside the window.

"Katherine?" I mouthed at her.

She shook her head again, the miniscule movement not even causing her curls to bounce.

I stared at her, urging her to speak. _Come on, Blondie. Don't play games._

Then she mouthed one word; a single word that I never expected to hear again.

"_Klaus."_

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**AHA! You weren't expecting that, were you? Well, if you were. I'm sorry!**

**Read & Review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**This has taken so long to write and I'm so so sorry...**

**I've just finished my school year so I've had last minute things to sort out but I finally found the time to finish this.**

**Hope you like it!**

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**[Damon Salvatore]**

_Klaus_...

How was it even possible? Klaus was dead! I'd watched his body burn in that coffin not even five hours ago. I'd seen with my own eyes as Alaric staked him through the heart and as the flames consumed his body. There was no way that stake had missed his heart, so how the hell was he still walking?

Elena's words came floating back to me suddenly and everything altered in my mind, confusing me even more.

'_You don't need to worry about the bloodline business! Bonnie did something, she won't tell us what, but she saved you!... All of you!"_

Nothing made sense. My head was spinning from adrenaline and fear? _Where's Elena?_ My heart constricted at the thought and I couldn't breathe. I was terrified. I'd only just got her, I couldn't lose her now! I couldn't even hear her heartbeat anymore. Damn it! Her transition was suddenly no help at all.

_Wait._

Klaus needed the Petrova bloodline to continue. He needed at least one descendent to remain human, and Elena was the last in the family line. He could make no more hybrids once the very last Petrova Doppelganger died or trasitioned. So what use did he have for Elena?

I hated not knowing! I had no answers, no plan, and no way to find Elena. I was useless, yet again.

Caroline was still gazing at me through the window and very slightly, she looked up, using just her eyes.

I glanced up to the second floor and saw the curtains open, but no movement. _What?_

Blondie just rolled her eyes, but her face remained traumatised. That more than anything confused me. Caroline had never been afraid of Klaus, she'd even been attracted to him once. So what had changed?

I had no time to dwell as a movement in the upper window caught my attention and I saw Elena's shadow reflected in the window.

_Elena._

Relief coursed through me like wildfire and I almost sagged with the weight of it, but I knew it wouldn't be that easy. Klaus had her for a reason, he had Caroline for a reason, and I had to get them both out.

So many unanswered questions and no plan to figure them out. I had to get in there unnoticed and I had to save them.

Caroline shifted suddenly in the window, angling herself to the right and as she stared out at me, I noticed who else was in the room.

Behind her, facing the fire place, was Tyler Lockwood.

_Holy shit._

This couldn't be good. I mean, it explained the reason why we were all still alive, considering Klaus' death should have severed out bloodline. But beyond that was something deeper and inexplicable.

_Oh witchy, what the fuck have you done?_

I listened intently, if Tyler and Caroline were in the parlour and Elena was in the bedroom, where the hell was Klaus? It made no sense!

I watched Tyler pick up my half-empty bourbon from the table and I growled. _That's mine_, _wolf boy_. I listened intently as he spoke to Caroline.

"Well, love," Tyler drawled, "What shall we do with you now?"

His voice was off. It sounded almost too dapper. Tyler always had a more common, teenage lilt to his voice, the way normal human's spoke in this day and age. But his voice now... It was sophisticated and sounded centuries old; and he'd called Blondie _love_.

The only person I'd ever heard call Caroline _love_ and get away with it was-

Klaus. _Well, fuck._

'"_Bonnie did something, she won't tell us what... But she saved you."_

Elena's words, this time, thundered through me a vengeance. That _something_, the _something_ that that insubordinate, annoying, judgy little witch had done was _save_ the ass of the one person in the entire world who posed a threat to Elena. The so-called _best friend_ of that girl had saved _vampires_, creatures she hated more than anything in the world, over Elena. Bonnie was willing to risk sacrificing Elena for the sake of four (now five) abominations against nature.

_I'm going to kill her._

Caroline slowly turned back around to glance at the window and at some point during my epiphany, Tyler or Klaus or whoever, had stopped talking. The blonde vampire's eyes were calmer as she looked at something over my shoulder and I turned sharply, on instinctive alert at the new presence until I realised it was my brother.

_Great_, the cavalry had arrived.

Stefan stepped forward and opened his mouth to speak but I placed my finger to my lips in a shushing gesture and motioned for him to listen.

Tyler-Klaus spoke again. "Well, Caroline, it was an extremely pleasant surprise that you discovered my secret so quickly. I mean, I thought I was getting pretty good at playing your little boyfriend. Clearly, you're more used to me than you'd ever like to admit, love."

There it was again, _love_, and I watched acknowledgement give way to horror in Stefan's eyes.

"We have to do something." He mouthed to me, and I rolled my eyes. _No shit, Sherlock._

"What, though?"

He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head in panic.

I turned back to the window, analysing what little of the parlour I could see from my hiding place. Tyler-Klaus had disappeared and suddenly there was movement from upstairs.

The hybrids shadow crossed the window and his voice echoed through the sudden deathly silence. "Well, well, well, Elena. What have we here? My sister made a very grave mistake by killing you, I'm afraid."

I tensed. _I swear to God, if you touch her..._

"See," He continued, and his shadow passed across again. He was circling her. So that meant she was what? Tied up? _God no._ "I needed the Petrova bloodline to continue; and as you are, well, _were,_ the last living descendant, there are not and never will be any more Petrovas. Do you see my dilemma, Elena?"

"Go to Hell."

_That's my girl_. I knew she wouldn't give up. She wouldn't give him any satisfaction, even while he was threatening her.

I was actually surprised he hadn't felt our presence yet; I could sense every movement around me, and yet my brother and I had remained undetected for at least ten minutes. There was something so very, very wrong with that situation.

I was starting to feel on edge, torn between storming in and playing the reckless hero or standing back and buying my time until I had a suitable, preferably not life threatening, plan.

"Hell?" I heard Klaus laugh, "I don't think so. See, I figure, Katerina owes me half a millennium of service, thanks to her escape stunt back in the 1500s. I'm a very, very patient man, Elena, five hundred years is a very long time. So I think, if Katerina is so hard to find, and even more difficult to control," he adds in a mutter and I almost scoff. _Tell me something I don't know._ "Why not settle for the next best thing?"

Elena laughed icily, and I shivered. "You don't get it, do you Klaus? I wouldn't do anything for you. Not in a million years." Her voice was sickly sweet and she sounded alarmingly like Katherine. It was unnerving.

Klaus' figure suddenly stopped circling and his reflection paused in front of the window. There was a splash of liquid and the clink of something glass. Elena's breathing grew shallow and I felt the tension around Stefan and I skyrocket. If he touched her, even once, I would be through those doors before anyone could even think to stop me.

"But, Elena! Did I say I wanted you to do anything from me? I don't want your service, love." Elena stopped breathing, I could almost feel her tension, and Klaus continued, "I only want your pain."

I heard the slice of blade and then Elena's ear piercing scream split the air.

I didn't even think. In the nanosecond it took for the sound to travel through space, I was through the doors and up the stairs. Stefan was behind me in an instant as we smashed into the room.

I stopped frozen and my heart constricted at the sight in front of me, before pure, murderous rage swept through me.

Elena was tied to a chair with ropes that currently appeared to be smoking. The smell of vervain was so strong I felt my eyes water and I cringed. Klaus was standing above her, holding the handle of a knife, which was also smoking, blade deep in Elena's thigh.

He didn't even turn around. "Ah, if it isn't the Salvatores come to the rescue."

Elena's eyes shot open and she stared straight at me. Her fear and pain burnt through me like wildfire and I'd never felt so much fury in my life.

"I wondered how long you were going to lurk outside."

Klaus' hand wrapped around the knife and he twisted it painfully before wrenching it from Elena's skin. She screamed again as the blade tore through her, but she didn't say a word and I knew she would die before she begged for mercy.

I felt an immense sense of pride fill me at the thought. As a vampire, her courage and fire were intensified by a million and I admired her fight.

She was much calmer than I was and I used my connection to her, never letting my eyes leave her for longer than a few seconds, to cool my own anger. If I did something impulsive, if I let the violent rage inside me take over, and did something reckless, I could kill us all in a matter of seconds.

_We're so screwed_. If I killed Klaus, which I wanted more than anything in the world right then, none of us would leave the room. If I let him live, there was no telling what he would do to Elena. I didn't care what he did to me, or even my own brother, – he deserved everything he got after what he had done – so long as Elena was out of harms way.

On some level, I knew I didn't need to protect her anymore. She was my equal now, being a vampire and all; but old habits die hard, and no matter how physically different she was I'd always harbour the fierce need to keep her safe.

I loved her as a human, and I loved her as a vampire, and I would sacrifice anything or anyone in the world for her. My biggest problem, though, was that the sacrifice I wanted to make in that moment would, not only kill her, but every other vampire in Klaus' bloodline, including her best friend.

_Life really is a bitch sometimes._

There had to be another way.

Klaus' behaviour was shocking, to say the least. He'd always been calm and serene; He preferred other people to do his dirty work and sort out his problems for him. Something had changed suddenly; and only something that was of the highest of importance would allow him to reveal his new form to us.

If it had been me in his position, I would have hidden, pretended to be Tyler for a while. I'd have earned everyone's trust and then_ boom, gotcha_. I'd only had a century of vampire life and I knew how these things worked. Klaus had nine hundred years on me and yet he was being sloppy. Klaus Michaelson had never been sloppy. He had always been the type to plan things out. He had a millennia of patience after all, a few weeks was nothing to him. So why didn't he use them?

It was a disarming thought. If the hybrid was being this reckless, not caring who knew what he was, about what we all were, then all bets were off.

Klaus was circling the chair again, twirling the vervained blame around in his palm, careful not to touch the burning liquid.

"I knew you would figure it out eventually," He began, "My new transformation, that is. This body is weaker than mine, so much so that I feel almost human. I never understood why dear Caroline claimed to love this boy. He's so feeble."

Klaus scoffed and dropped the knife into the bowl of vervain. He moved back around to the front of the chair and picked up an iron poker.

I tensed. _If you touch her, I swear to God..._

"You see, Bonnie decided that the lives of her friends, no matter how pathetic, were _far_ more important than the irrational decision you people made to kill me." Klaus dipped the end of the poker into the bowl of vervain and very slowly traced the metal along Elena's arm.

She gasped as the liquid caused her skin to bubble and burn. My knuckles were white from the grip of my fists and my jaw was clenched so tightly I thought it might shatter. I had to think, to keep control of my emotions before I did something that would end up killing us all. I snarled instead.

"Ah, I think we've found Damon's weak spot." Klaus chuckled.

I growled at him. "Don't use her as your play thing. Let her go."

This time, he ran the iron across the open wound in her thigh. She was young, barely hours old, and her new extreme healing wasn't at its best. The vervain on her body also made any form of healing nearly impossible and the bleeding hole from the knife was still raw and bloody. The fresh dose of vervain against the nerves in Elena's leg caused her to scream out in agony and I watched as fresh tears swept down her face.

"I think I've had enough fun for tonight." Klaus smirked, "This is all a part of the bigger picture, you know."

He turned away and walked slowly towards me. I tensed again, preparing myself for a fight. There was no way I could win, but I wouldn't go down easy.

"You see Damon, I'm far from done with you people. That fool of a hunter managed to _kill_ me, and it was your job to stop that from happening, _mate_. On top of that, thanks to my sister and the idiocy of your brother, the Petrova bloodline has been cut unexpectedly short, and you know how I feel about little kinks in my plan." His eyes glinted with malicious anger and he suddenly flitted forward and thrust the poker, vervain end first, deep into my stomach.

_Fuck that hurts._

Before the vervain could fully settle, he pulled it right back out and I grunted in pain as it burnt at my skin.

"I'll be seeing you real soon, Elena."

With one final glance at the new vampire, he was gone.

I collapsed to my knees, clutching at my stomach as the healing process set in. Urgh, damn stupid vampire weaknesses.

I glanced up at my brother who was stood, staring aimlessly around the room. "For fuck's sake Stefan, don't just stand there!" I growled at him. He blinked and focused, his eyes landing on Elena, who was barely conscious. "_Help her._"

I could feel the skin of my stomach stitching back together and I winced at the uncomfortable sensation.

I rose again; flitting to Elena's side just as Caroline came barrelling into the room. She had somewhat pulled herself together in the short time since Klaus had verbally tortured her. I felt a sudden urge to comfort her but I pushed it back. _It's Blondie, do you really want her to Barbie all over you?_ _Boundaries, Salvatore, boundaries._

"He's gone!" She stated proudly, "But he'll be back..." _No shit_. She shuddered visibly and then her eyes landed on Elena.

"Oh my God!" She shrieked, "What did that asshole do to you?" She ran forward in a rush, wanting to free her friend and, before Stefan or I could react, she was ripping at the ropes around Elena's wrist.

"Caroline, they're covered in-"

She hissed, jumping back and shaking her hand as it started smoking.

"-vervain." I sighed. How the hell could we get Elena free? "We have to get her out," I told the blonde, "But none of us can touch the ropes without burning!" I was getting frustrated again and just seeing Elena there, in pain and about to pass out, made me want to cry or scream or kill somebody.

My anger seemed to be through the roof constantly lately. It was clouding my vision and making it difficult to think about a logical way to free her.

"I got it!" Caroline suddenly screamed. _Jeez._ "I'll be right back."

Less than a minute later she was back with the vervain gloves from the basement. Stefan had used them once when we had Katherine kidnapped and tied up in the cell. The situation was much too similar to our current one for me to ever be comfortable with; except this Petrova was one I actually wanted to get free.

The irony of it wasn't lost on me. Sure, two years ago I would've given anything to get Katherine out of the tomb, but now... Well, a lot can change in three years.

Caroline handed the gloves to me without hesitation, knowing instantly that I wouldn't let anyone else be the one to free her. _She's mine_.

I slipped on the gloves and bent over her, trying to pull the vervain soaked ropes away from her arms so that it would stop burning. There were deep red gashes in her perfect skin, about an inch in depth and equal in width. _Son of a bitch_. When I got my hands on him, I swear I would make him pay; one way or another.

I carefully snapped the bonds around her wrists and let them fall limply to the floor, before moving to the identical ropes around her ankles.

When she was free, I lifted her bridal style, trying not to jolt her too much as I started towards the door.

She moaned in pain, shifting slightly to try and relieve the aches.

"Shhhh," I murmured, pushing her hair back from her face, "It's okay, 'Lena. I've got you; you're safe."

Her eyes opened slowly and locked with mine. She looked tired and hurt in so many ways and I just wanted to kiss it all away. I hugged her tighter to me as I sped down the stairs with Caroline and Stefan hot on my heels.

I settled her in the armchair in the parlour and perched next to her while Stefan went to get some blood from the freezer. She'd need a lot to heal her wounds at her age, she was barely hours old and her strength was so much weaker than mine, or Caroline's. I hated that she was in pain and I would do everything physically possible to make her feel better.

I moved to get a cloth to clean her wounds but she gripped my hand with a surprisingly strong grip.

"Damon?" She whimpered, pulling me closer so she could snuggle into me. "Is it over?"

I forced a reassuring smile, even as a fierce stab of fear pierced my gut. "Yeah, it's over, sweetie."

But as I said the words, and my eyes locked with Caroline's, we both knew that, whatever it was that had just happened, it was far from over.

I had a feeling it was only the beginning.


	8. Chapter 8

**So once again, this took way longer than I expected. I have legit excuses but I'm sure you don't want to hear them.**

**Chapter 8**

**[Damon Salvatore]**

"Is she leaving yet?"

Caroline had been hugging and smothering Elena for the past hour, constantly offering her things and asking her if she was okay. She'd been zipping about the house collecting all manner of different things she felt were absolutely vital in helping Elena recover and it was starting to hurt my eyes to see so much movement.

It was a comfort to watch, to some extent. Blondie really did care about Elena; it was just that a little bit was more than enough when it came to her.

I'd been through a half an hour lockdown with Elena in the basement, feeding her enough blood to heal her, but not enough to unravel her control. It was a long and difficult process, but I knew that before she could learn to really feed, she had to be emotionally ready, and after the ordeal Klaus had just put her through, it was going to take some time.

Blondie wasn't so sure. She kept offering to fetch blood bags if Elena was hungry and I could see the new vampire slipping quick, sly glances at me each time, wanting to say yes but knowing that I wouldn't allow her too. Caroline was definitely a bad influence on her and she was only hours old!

I appreciated that she wanted to care for her best friend but, truth be told, I hadn't been alone with Elena _properly_, since she'd turned, and we needed to talk.

Elena smacked me playfully on the arm, "She's only trying to help."

I scoffed, "Yeah, well, it's annoying. She's been gone less than a minute, but you hear that? It's quiet. I don't even remember how quiet feels anymore."

She giggled, raising her eyebrows at me in admonishment.

"Plus, we need to talk; _in private_."

She suddenly looked weary, "Is everything okay?" She reached up to touch my cheek and I forced a smile.

"Yeah, I just think we need to talk about everything that's happened, you know?"

Elena nodded, smiling up at me in that way that left me dazzled. She really was beautiful.

I leant forward at the same time she did and our faces were only inches apart when...

_"Elenaaaaaa!"_

"I'm going to kill her." I muttered, pulling back.

Elena giggled again and snuggled into my side.

"She needs to leave. Soon." I whispered in her ear. As much as I knew Elena loved the blonde, she really did get a bit too much after a while.

Caroline came bustling into the room, curls bouncing wildly. "That was my mom on the phone," She said softly, "She needs me at home, I'm really sorry."

I felt my face light up and tried to disguise my obvious delight behind an understanding frown. I nodded my head solemnly, hoping my poker face was good enough.

Elena elbowed me in the ribs and I actually flinched. She didn't realise the extent of her new strength yet and I was bearing the consequences.

She noticed and grimaced at me in apology.

_Damn, that's going to take some getting used to._

"Okay, Care. Call me later?" She leant forward to hug her friend but I made sure my arm was wrapped tight around her shoulders, refusing to let her out of my grasp.

When we heard the car peel out of the driveway, I automatically tensed. I was absolutely terrified of the conversation that I knew we both desperately needed to have.

I put my arms around her shoulders and rested my forehead against her shoulder as she leaned her head against mine and sighed softly.

I had no idea why the idea of the coming conversation was such a frightening prospect for me. I mean, I'd never been comfortable with serious, emotional conversations because it left me feeling open and vulnerable, but with Elena it was easier to talk. This was different though. Voicing my fears to her, my doubts and insecurities, was something that made me want to run as far away as possible.

Of course that's what I had been doing all my undead life. I'd been running from my emotions, keeping them locked away along with my humanity. I'd lost myself until I met Elena and, after so long of feeling nothing besides bloodlust and anger, my emotions could get so overwhelming.

Elena was the only person in the world that I let see that side of me; the side that didn't have to pretend. With her I could be myself; God did it sound cliché, and not to mention beyond soppy! I could trust her, no matter what, but then again I also knew that she was the only one who could really break me.

"You're avoiding a conversation that was your idea to have in the first place." Elena sighed.

_Damn she knows me too well._

When I didn't say anything, she spun around to face me, taking my hand in both of hers and kissing my knuckles.

The gesture was surprisingly calming. _God, Salvatore! You're going feminine!_

For that I blamed Elena too; she had slowly turned me into this romantic sap! It was incredibly embarrassing for my ego and there was no way in hell I would admit it out loud to anyone ever.

"Talk to me, Damon." She pleaded. She looked genuinely worried about what I had to say, the doubts surfacing in her eyes.

I didn't want to have this conversation. I knew it could really only have one of three outcomes. I was really hoping for the third because the other two were practically unthinkable, but then again, when was luck ever on my side?

I took a deep breath. _It's now or never_. I pulled my hands from Elena's and stood, trying to put some distance between us, both literally and metaphorically. It was easier for me to stay disconnected from my emotions without her, and I needed that right now.

She knew what I was doing; she always knew, but she made no move to stop me.

I picked up the glass of bourbon I had discarded earlier and knocked it back swiftly, desperately attempting to postpone the inevitable.

"Damon..."

"I need you to be sure, Elena."

She didn't even ask me what I meant. We both knew exactly what I was referring to.

She opened her mouth to protest but I cut her off.

"I know! I know you said you made your decision but I need you to be sure. Forever is a very long time for you now. Forever with me will be even longer." I turned away from her, facing the glowing embers of fire that were dying out in the fireplace. "I can't promise that I won't screw up because I will. I've done bad things and I've enjoyed it, and I know that I'll continue to do them because that's who I am."

I stopped, _deep breath,_ and span back around to face her.

"But I'll try. I've always tried for you Elena. I know that you're everything that I want, as cliché as it sounds. I know that I love you, and I also know that I'm a selfish son of a bitch and, once you're mine, I don't think I'll ever be able let you go."

I ran a hand through my hair, stepping forward and sitting down in front of her. I took her one hand in both of mine, just as she had done earlier, and softened my voice. "I'm sure about you, Elena. I'm sure about _us_, and I need to know that you are absolutely sure that we, that_ I'm, _what you want for the rest of eternity, because if I'm not what you want then I can't do this with you."

Elena reached up and touched my cheek. "Damon..."

"I can't be what you want me to be, Elena." I told her, looking away from her pleading eyes. "I'm not human and I'm sure as hell not perfect. I'm not selfless and I'm not a martyr."

I stopped, my eyes meeting hers again, and we both knew what I was about to say before the words had even left my lips.

"I'm not _Stefan_. So I need to know that I'm enough for you."

There was silence after my speech. It seemed to stretch on and on and I felt the desperation building up inside me. I fought against it, trying to suppress the ridiculous, overpowering emotion that threatened to break me.

_I feel Elena; and it sucks._

"God dammit Elena! Say something!"

She shook her head at me softly and I closed my eyes in defeat.

"I'm not a mind reader Elena. I need an answer from you." She was being cryptic, her face held endless depths of empathy and sadness and something else growing in her eyes.

"I love you, Damon. I need you to believe that, because it's true. _God_, is it true."

"But is that _enough_ for you?"

Elena smiled and I wanted to tear my own hair out. How the fuck was it so hard to get a straight answer from this girl? I put my head in my hands.

She stood quickly, stepping towards the door before I could stop her.

"Where are you going?" I didn't get up, only glancing up briefly when I heard the door open.

She didn't reply. _The hell?_

I heard her climb the stairs, before my whole body locked up with tension.

"Stefan, open up. We need to talk."

She'd gone to see Stefan. She had literally gotten up and walked away from me after I'd poured my heart out to her.

And then she'd gone straight upstairs to my brother.

_Fantastic._

I could not believe it. I swear if I'd been human, my heart would've stopped right there and then.

_Well, fuck._

My mind was throwing all kinds of possibilities at me and I felt like there were a million different voices shouting a million different scenarios that all ended in heartbreak. I tuned them out before I could latch on to negative thoughts and chose instead to do something that Damon Salvatore rarely did.

I listened.

I couldn't jump to conclusions; sure, my heart was constricting so tightly in my chest that I found it hard to breathe. The fear was a palpable taste in my mouth, the fear that I'd lose her to my brother _again_, but I refused to go there.

Absolutely not. No.

I trusted Elena. That was more than enough incentive to stop and consider the situation.

"Elena, what can I do for you?"

I recognised the tone of my brother's voice immediately; he was wallowing. Well, here comes a guilt trip for newly emotionally temperamental Elena.

_Bravo, brother._

I listened in, holding my breath as I waited to hear their conversation. Surely Elena knew I'd be listening?...Unless that was her intention. God women were so difficult! Yet I still pined for her like a lost puppy. _Wow... doesn't that sound familiar?_

"I just need to say this and get it out of my system because I need to know that we're clear, okay?" She sounded determined and I heard the bed creak as she sat.

_Damn._ That sound brought back some awful memories; night after night spent in the parlour getting drunk off my ass trying to ignore Stefan and Elena's sweet confessions of _love._

_Urgh._

I stalked over to the drinks cabinet, emptying, what had been a brand new bottle of bourbon this morning, into my glass before grabbing another and slumping in my favourite chair, already refilling the glass.

"I want you to know that I don't blame you for what happened, Stefan."

"I do." I muttered sullenly. I sounded like a sulking child but I didn't give a damn.

I knew they'd both heard me but Elena only paused for a second. "You shouldn't blame yourself either. I chose for you to save Matt and these were the consequences." I heard her soft sigh. "I love you Stefan, I do-"

_Oh God._ That hurt a lot more than I expected. Why couldn't she have warned me first? I didn't want to sit here and listen to her confess her undying love to my brother minutes after telling me she loved me too. _I guess it can only really go downhill from here, Salvatore._

By this point I was on my fourth glass of bourbon. Somehow I felt I was going to need it to face the night ahead; scratch that, I'd need a hell of a lot more alcohol to even _think_ about facing what was to come.

"But I made a decision. More than one actually. I know neither were the decision you wanted me to make, but I chose."

_Wait- what?_

"I may love you Stefan, but I'm _in_ love with Damon. He accepts all of me and I know without a doubt that he can love me for who I am now, and not just who I was as a human."

Her voice softened as she tried to ease the blow. It was a familiar sound to me; I'd been on the receiving end of her rejection more times than I cared to remember.

"I need you to know that Stefan. And the agreement between you two about my choice? It's void. I don't want to hurt you, and if you choose to leave for yourself then I don't have the power to stop you."

_How the fuck does she know about that?_

As if she could read my mind, she suddenly called out loud, "Yes, Damon; I know about the deal."

I chuckled quietly at her pointedness before knocking back another round of bourbon.

I had no idea what this conversation meant and after the events of the past forty-eight hours it didn't even feel real. It was like I was watching my life on TV and not really experiencing and understanding anything around me.

_I really am going mad._

"I don't want you to leave because you feel obligated too; but I also don't want to feel bad about my choice when you're around."

My mouth practically hung open in shock and I was snapped back to a harsh reality. Was she seriously telling Stefan to get over it already? Well, not in exactly those words, but in a roundabout way she was basically telling him that no matter what, her decision was her own and he couldn't change it.

Hope exploded violently in my chest and I actually entertained the idea that this might all be over. I wouldn't have to fight anymore.

"I know you love me Stefan, and I'm sorry that I can't be who you want me to be, but I won't feel guilty for wanting what I want."

I was torn between fist pumping and actually fucking _crying_ at that moment. She was deadly serious about me; _about us_. She'd chosen me. _She'd chosen me._ I sat in a perpetual state of shock while they continued talking upstairs, not even caring what they were saying anymore because _Elena chose me._

I was somebody's first choice. After one hundred and fifty years somebody actually genuinely loved me and, in a rather selfish way on my part, I was beyond happy that someone had chosen me over my brother.

Plus, she'd quoted my twice in one sentence, which I _loved_. I really was rubbing off on her.

I wanted to dance or do something equally damaging to my tough guy persona but I also remembered how it felt to be where Stefan was now.

Despite the tables officially turning and finally giving me the option to hurt him as much as he hurt me, I felt no desire to rub my happiness in my brother's face.

It wasn't fair to him. I knew from experience how much it hurt to be the _other brother_ but I couldn't help being elated with love and happiness after three years of an, admittedly desperate, and, until recently, unrequited pursuit of my brother's girl.

_She chose me!_

I actually laughed out loud before shaking my head and relaxing completely for the first time in a very, very long time.

About five minutes later, Elena slipped back into the room and I heard the front door slam as Stefan left us to some peace and quiet.

She stood shyly in the door, unsure of how I would react to her.

I raised my eyebrows at her as I pushed out of the chair, teasing her a little, and watched her face change to a guilty and slightly regretful expression.

She opened her mouth to apologise and I rolled my eyes before grinning at her.

I watched an absolutely breathtaking smile spread across her lips as she zipped across the room and flew into my arms.

I hugged her tightly, crushing her in my arms and breathing an honest sigh of relief against her hair before kissing her softly on the forehead.

I felt her giggle against me and I pulled away, glancing at her quizzically. "What's funny?" My voice was weary and her giggle got louder.

She just tapped her nose mysteriously and smiled.

I rolled my eyes at her again. "Women!"

She slapped my chest. "You're an ass."

"But it's a sexy ass, right?"

She laughed again and I swear it became my favourite sound in the world. She sounded so carefree and young and I made a vow to keep her that way forever.

I smiled at her as she glanced around the room, clearly forgetting where we were.

Her eyes suddenly landed on the two empty bottles of bourbon and a frown marred her perfect features. "You've been drinking." It wasn't a question.

I chuckled in self-deprecation. "Yeah, well I wasn't sure how the night was going to end. Liquor always goes a long way to mending a broken heart." I tried to make a joke out of it but I knew she heard the ghost of pain in my voice.

"You doubted me?" She sounded offended.

I shrugged non-commitedly. "I trust you Elena; but I can't just forget when it was once "_always going to be Stefan._" It makes a guy a little worried."

She shook her head at me, taking my face between her palms and forcing me to look at her just as she had earlier. "I love you, Damon. _You._ What can I do to prove it to you? How long will it take?"

I pretended to contemplate for a second, "Hmm...Forever would be a good start I suppose."

Elena laughed softly, "Forever." She confirmed.

She dropped her hands and turned to move away but it suddenly felt wrong to not have her near me, so I grabbed her arm and span her back into my chest.

She looked up at me and I down at her and it only took a second. I watched the love shining in her eyes and I knew that at last she'd knocked down all my defences and finally she had the ultimate power to break me.

Because I believed her. _God_, I believed her and I loved her so much.

I knew it wasn't going to be easy. There would be bumps in the road, starting with her friends, _our_ friends. But as I leaned down to kiss her, I knew we'd overcome them together.

She kissed me, and I kissed her, and despite the total break down of every aspect of my masculinity, I knew I wouldn't trade her for the world. Her arms wrapped around my neck and mine around her waist as I held her against me and kissed her until neither of us could think straight.

It was the perfect definition of us. We were fucked up and we lost control around each other;

But I wouldn't have it any other way.

**[Elena Gilbert]**

"We're going hunting?"

Damon sighed, shaking his head at me. "_Yes_, Elena. That's what vampire's do."

"But-"

"Just shut up and get out of the car."

I clamped my mouth shut, trying to suppress a giggle at how frustrated he was getting with my lack of voluntary participation.

He was suddenly at my open door, glaring at me. "_Move."_

I didn't argue with him. There was no point anyway; I knew he'd win in the end either way.

As I climbed out, I looked around, puzzled, at the deserted road. We were pulled up on a slip road on the outskirts of Mystic Falls and, by the looks of it, there was no-one around for miles.

Okay, so when Damon had told me we were going hunting, I assumed he meant some club full of dressed up teenage bimbos looking for a "_friend"_ for the night. Apparently, that wasn't the same idea Damon had had.

"And we're in the middle of nowhere because...?" I asked him hotly.

He raised his eyebrows mockingly at me. "Is that attitude I hear, Miss. Gilbert?" He was suddenly serious again as he gestured to our remote location. "I can't take a baby vampire into a club full of humans. That's humanity suicide. All those hearts pumping together, the adrenaline flowing through their blood; you'd lose control in seconds and I wouldn't have a hope in hell of stopping you."

I hated to admit that the picture he'd created in my mind was desperately intriguing and made my mouth water with hunger.

He smirked knowingly at me. "I get it Elena, trust me, but I'm not gonna let you do that."

I nodded at him, smiling gently. "I know. I trust you Damon."

He held out his hand and I took it without hesitation as he lead me out into the road and lay down in the middle.

I glanced at him quizzically for a moment before following suit.

"I used to do this all the time." He told me quietly, "When I hunted, I liked to come out here, lay down and look at the stars. It gave me time to think."

I smiled again, tracing patterns in the stars with my eyes.

"I'd come across all these different people, take what I needed, and leave. I didn't kill them out here, I don't know why; it just felt wrong. I'd compel them to think they'd ask for directions and I'd just be the mysterious stranger who had all the answers."

"_What? Mysterious stranger who has all the answers?"_

"_Well, let's just say I've been around a long time."_

I tried desperately to hold on to the thought. I _knew_ that voice. I'd been speaking to someone, but the memory was there and suddenly gone as instantly as it had come.

"Elena?" Damon gently nudged my shoulder and nodded in the direction of the oncoming traffic. In the distance, I could just make out the glow of car headlights and I felt my breath catch.

"Are you ready?" He held out his hand to me as we lay side by side.

I took a deep breath, and as I took hold of Damon's hand and squeezed it lightly, I was absolutely sure that whatever I was about to face, I could handle it with him by my side.

"I'm ready."

**REVIEW!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I re-posted this again, sorry. I read it back and there were **_**so**_** many mistakes that I had to edit it again.**

**Thank you for sticking with me and all my uncoordinated-ness!**

**Here's Chapter 9**

* * *

**[Damon Salvatore]**

_You can do this Gilbert. Come on._

She looked absolutely terrified. I thought she'd have a mental breakdown any second. I couldn't really blame her, though; almost every single new vampire I'd ever known was afraid of the first feed. I mean, who wouldn't be? I could still remember those first years of my life trying to get some semblance of control. It was almost impossible at the time, but I wouldn't let it be that way for Elena; she wouldn't go through it alone.

"Elena, calm down okay?" I pulled her chin up to look at me with my free hand. "I'm gonna help you. I'm not going to let you do anything you'll regret; I swear it."

She gazed up at me, complete and utter trust in her eyes and it made my heart constrict again. I'd just put the weight of the world on my own shoulders. I had to keep Elena in control because if she killed someone tonight she might just blame me forever.

But no pressure.

"I'll deal with everything. Just focus on me as much as you can."

She nodded and I smiled gently. "Go stand by the tree, make sure to keep out of view until I call you, okay?"

Without a word, she took a deep breath, stood up and walked over to hide behind the tree. I heard her slump against it and sigh. The shakiness that threaded through her breaths almost made me abandon the plan completely. Was she really ready for this?

_Well, there's only one way to find out._

The car was drawing closer and I could hear the voice of a young woman singing along to her car stereo. She was alone. _Perfect._That would be a huge help in controlling Elena once she kicked off.

I felt a twinge of regret for this woman, like I always did for each victim when I hunted like this. There was a part of me that would always relish in the idea that I could take what I wanted, even kill them if I desired. The more rational part of me, the part that Elena brought out, felt guilt and sadness for them; none of the victims had ever done me any wrong, they didn't deserve to die.

Yet it was the natural order of life; vampires lived on humans as humans lived on animals.

It was how it was supposed to be; and yet in times like these I hated it. I didn't want Elena to ever have to live with the same guilt I'd always carried with me, because it _sucked_.

My mistakes had finally come back around to bite me in the ass and helping Elena was somewhat like redemption for me.

I _wanted_to help her; more than anything.

The car was turning the final bend in the road and Elena's breathing was wrecking havoc on my resolve.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I shot up, blurring to the front of the car. There was no time for her to slow down or stop before she collided with me.

The woman screeched and slammed on the brakes in a futile attempt not to hit me. I almost felt like grinning in triumph. I'd forgotten how good it felt to do this, it was an exhilarating adrenaline rush and I loved it despite it being _"morally wrong"_.

The woman scrambled from the car awkwardly as I stumbled towards the side of the road.

"Oh my God! I am so sorry! I didn't see you I swear... oh my God..." She was frantic with worry and panic as she pulled her phone from her pocket to dial 911.

It was slightly amusing to watch, but I also felt guilty as hell for tricking her. _Damn emotions._

"Hey, calm down..." I reassured her, pretending to wince as I limped towards her. "I'm okay, see?" I felt the need to prove to her that I was fine. A guilty conscience about something she wouldn't remember would never do.

"Look at me." She glanced up and I caught her gaze. _God, this is too easy._ "Don't be afraid. I'm okay and you're gonna be okay too. My friend just needs a little something from you. Don't scream, I promise it won't hurt. Do you think you could help her out?"

Her eyes were glassy and she nodded mutely, the horror and worry from moments before wiped clean from her face. I felt slightly better now I knew she wasn't about to have a panic attack.

"What's your name?" I asked her as I pulled her around to the front of the car.

"Melody."

"That's a pretty name," I mused, "I'm Damon." I smiled kindly at her. It was the smile that I'd used to make most women swoon all my life, but this time the intent wasn't any kind of seduction; I really wanted to help this woman. "Do you have kids, Melody?"

It was her turn to smile then, a real, genuine smile. "I've got a daughter; she's two and her name's Abigail." Her voice was filled with love and admiration and I heard Elena gasp slightly. She knew what I was doing. "Do you have kids, Damon?"

I chuckled softly, "No, sadly, I don't."

She frowned sympathetically at me before turning to glance around us. "So where's your friend?"

"She's just around the corner." I told her, "Elena! I'd like you to meet someone."

She slid around the tree slowly, cautiously, and I could tell, just from the tension in her muscles, that she wasn't breathing.

"Melody this is Elena; Elena this is Melody."

"Hi!" The human grinned, blonde hair swishing in the wind. It sent her scent swirling in a whirlwind around me and I saw Elena close her eyes briefly.

_Hold it together Elena. Come on. Hold on to your humanity._

"I need you to stay really still for me Melody, okay?" She nodded again and I turned to Elena.

"I can't do this-"

"_Don't breathe!"_

She looked shocked at my harsh tone and I instantly felt bad. I gazed into her eyes and tried to convey how worried I was for her. "I'm sorry, but I don't want this to be any harder for you than it has to be."

"I know."

* * *

**[Elena Gilbert]**

_God, this is hard._

"I don't want this to be any harder for you than it has to be."

This was why I loved him. He was always so worried about me and, despite being _way _overprotective sometimes; he really did care about me. I knew he would do everything in his power to stop me from hurting this woman. I knew all he wanted was to stop me doing something I would regret and I just loved him so damn much for it.

"I know." My voice was almost reverential and I watched his eyes soften and shine with love.

"Are you ready?" He whispered.

I nodded. My insides were doing crazy back flips and I felt physically sick with worry and excitement and _hunger._

I closed my eyes and squared my shoulders as Damon led the woman in front of me.

"It's okay, Elena." The woman's voice had my eyes snapping open. "I'm here to help you."

I wanted to cry. This one human woman wanted to help me. She didn't even know who I was; and she certainly didn't know _what_ I was, and yet she wanted to give me this help.

Damon put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. "Just breathe, 'Lena."

I steeled myself. Closing my eyes and picturing Melody playing with her daughter. I imagined a blue eyed little girl being chased around the yard by her mother, their blonde curls bouncing around as they ran. It was how I'd always imagined myself to be with a child in years too come, happy and carefree, just enjoying being alive; obviously now it was impossible, but the thought made me smile all the same.

I took a deep breath, inhaling the tainted air around me, and felt my resolve fly out of the window.

It was Heaven. It was Hell. It was downright torture but it was also everything I needed. I'd do anything to get it and I didn't care what I had to do to anything and anyone that stood in my way. That scent, the intoxicating smell of her blood, hit me with the force of a truck and I snapped. I _needed_ it more than anything.

I flew forward, my hands grabbing the woman's shoulders in an iron grip.

I felt my face change as I darted towards her neck and I knew then and there that I wouldn't be able to stop.

I didn't _want _to.

* * *

**[Damon Salvatore]**

_What a surprise!_

I honestly hadn't expected Elena to act any differently. I watched her launch herself at the woman and I sighed. Sometimes I wished one new vampire would do something _different!_ It got boring to watch after a while, because it was _always_ the same, no matter who it was or what the situation. It was always easy to predict their every move.

Elena was predictable too, sadly. It was slightly disturbing to watch her act so much like Katherine with the whole vamped-out-face thing, but I knew I'd get used to it eventually.

The woman was fine, despite Elena's messy handlings; her vitals were slightly slow but she wasn't in any danger. She just kept smiling at me over Elena's shoulder and I tried to smile back, even though the situation was a bit creepy. Even for me.

When Melody's heart rate started to drop rapidly, I knew Elena's time was up.

_Here comes the fun part._

"Okay, 'Lena. That's enough."

I knew she wouldn't listen to me, (she'd most probably blocked out everything around her anyway) but it didn't hurt to try. _Well, this is going to be fun._

I grabbed her by the back of her neck and ripped her away from the human easily. It was just a little too easy for my liking. I always loved a good challenge when it came to things like this but Elena had yet to master her strength and defences. Throwing her a good twenty feet away was like tossing a bunch of keys onto a desk.

I revelled in the chance to use my strength. In a small town like Mystic Falls there was always the responsibility of keeping up appearances, especially in light of recent events. I hadn't been able to really let go since I'd arrived and it felt way too good.

Elena went sprawling back against a tree and there was a sickening crack as several branches high up in the brush snapped from the trunk and a cascade of summer leaves came rippling to the floor.

She rebounded back instantly, as I'd suspected, but she was I knew what she would do before the thought had even crossed her mind.

Elena crashed into my arm violently in a mad dash to reach the woman behind me and I shoved her back against the nearest tree. I had her pinned by the throat as she snarled and kicked out at me. There was no recognition in her eyes; I was just another obstacle in the way of her getting what she wanted.

I stared her down, trying to catch her eyes and coach some sanity back into her. Her features were still vamped out and she had blood smeared around her lips. I secretly wanted to admit that I liked her like this. She rarely lost control and when she did it was quite a beautiful sight to see.

She gazed up into my eyes, snarling again and I pressed harder on her wind pipe, pushing her further into the tree with my body to stop her from lashing out at me again.

"Elena!" She wasn't stopping or calming down; her eyes were locked over my shoulder on the human. I could smell the blood perfuming the air and it really wasn't helping the situation any. "Elena, for fuck's sake; _Look at me."_

Her eyes met mine and she froze. Her face was still clouded with bloodlust but she stopped, nonetheless.

"'Lena." I breathed, gazing down at her pointedly and raised my eyebrows at her as rationalisation flooded her face. She gasped, trying to calm down as she fought for control. She shivered when she realised that breathing wasn't a good idea and I felt her tense.

"Oh my God, Damon..."

"Are you done?"

She nodded sheepishly, scraping her hand across her face to wipe away the blood and holding her breath as she stood and gazed at Melody.

The woman's neck looked like she'd been attacked like an animal but she just kept putting pressure over the wound and smiled softly in sympathy at the new vampire.

I turned away from Elena's guilt ridden face to deal with Melody. After healing and compelling the human and sending her back on her way, I made my way over to Elena again.

I was hesitant to approach her, unsure of how she would react. I wasn't sure how she would cope with her first time or how much she was capable of dealing with emotionally.

Her eyes were closed as she breathed in the fresh, untainted air. She looked a lot calmer than before but, with her new heightened emotions, a breakdown could strike suddenly and without warning.

"Elena?"

She looked up at me and shook her head. "How bad was it?"

I actually laughed out loud. _What?_ "You are so obscure."

She looked slightly offended at first before she closed her eyes and started laughing with me.

It was ridiculous and morbid and completely mental. We stood there, laughing softly at the complete insanity of the situation before Elena took a step forward.

I smiled at her, opening my arms to pull her into an embrace. I rested my chin on her forehead and hugged her tightly as she sighed deeply against my neck.

"For the record, you did really well for a newbie." I quipped and she slapped my chest playfully. "What?!"

"I'm serious!"

"So am I!" I exclaimed, "Most new vampires _can't _stop, Elena. It's not by choice, believe me. When the bloodlust takes over, it's almost impossible to stop them from draining the prey because it's their first taste of fresh human blood. Even vampires as old as me lose control like that sometimes. It doesn't come naturally; it's something you have to learn."

She nodded against me, snuggling her face into my chest. "So how come I stopped?"

I chuckled huskily. _Because I'm a super stud with amazing reflexes._ "Because I threw you twenty feet through the air."

"Fair point."

I rolled my eyes, pulling back to gaze at her. "Well the good news is you didn't kill her. Kudos!" I mocked fake enthusiasm as I grinned down at her. "I'm proud of you, and I promise it'll get easier." I suddenly hushed my voice to a whisper as if I was telling her a state secret, "Soon, you won't need me to throw you into a tree!"

I gasped playfully and she scoffed, stepping back and putting her hands on her hips. "Why are you mocking me?"

I pouted, "Because it's fun?"

She was getting frustrated and I had to admit it was a really cute look on her. She scowled at me and raised her eyebrows. "Well it's not very nice."

"Who said I was nice?" I countered, "Nice is overrated. Badass is the new _'swag'_."

"You did not just say _'swag'_."

"Uh, I think I did."

"Oh my God," She giggled, "Shut up, grandpa."

"Ouch," I feigned offence, "I'm wounded. I'll tell you I don't look a day over twenty four!"

She raised her eyebrows. "Well you act like a hundred and seventy year old jackass."

She was really trying to rile me up. _God, she's just perfect._ "I'm 172 _actually_, so I think I look pretty good for my age."

"If you say so."

"I do." I offered her my arm, in a gentlemanly gesture, "Allow me to walk you home, Miss. Elena?"

She grinned, taking my arm and kissing my cheek. "Thank you, Mr. Salvatore."

"Oh, it's my pleasure, Miss. Gilbert."

* * *

**[Stefan Salvatore]**

_They'll be home any minute._

Oh my God, I was so dead. If Damon found me here, if _Elena_ did... It was unbearable to even think about.

I'd just come down to the basement for a drink. I was trying to moderate my intake of human blood and it had been throwing me off balance for weeks. I'd had mood swings and blackouts but I had to fight through it because I _had _to get control.

It had been 148 years for crying out loud, how difficult could it be?

Apparently it was very, very difficult.

I'd had the sole intentions of picking out a single blood bag and leaving when I first decided to come down here, but of course it never worked like that.

Ten minutes, and thirty bags later, and I knew I was in deep trouble.

Then I heard the door open upstairs.

_Crap._

* * *

**[Damon Salvatore]**

I settled Elena on the couch in the parlour and told her to rest for a while. Obviously she didn't need to rest so much anymore, but I'd spent so long caring for human Elena that it came as second nature to make sure she was well cared for.

I headed into the kitchen to grab a bottle of wine and some glasses. I'd intended to romance her; show her just how gentlemanly I could be. I could be romantic, but only with her. If anyone else found out, I'd be ruined and my reputation destroyed. For eternity.

I shuddered. _Urgh, damn woman._

There was a sudden scuffling noise coming from the basement and I tensed. Elena was at my side instantly, shocking me. I wasn't used to her being able to move that fast.

I tilted my head towards the cellar and she nodded, following behind me as I crept through the door and down the stairs.

The shuffling sounds had stopped. Then there was a sudden slam and a soft curse.

I rounded the stairs into the basement at the same moment, blocking Elena's path with my arm and what I saw, surprisingly, didn't shock me. I'd suspected foul play for weeks and now it had finally been proven that my brother was, indeed, a liar. Without me outing him for once.

Stefan stood in the middle of a dozen discarded empty blood bags, his hands smeared with the remains of his last one, trying to shove the evidence back into the freezer.

"Well, well, what have we here?" I quipped.

Stefan spun inhumanly fast like a rabbit caught in headlights.

"Damon! I can explain-"

"I'm sure you can," I interrupted, "but it's not me you owe an explanation to." I raised my eyebrows and folded my arms, just as Elena stepped into the room, horror writ clear across her face.

"Oh no, Stefan, what have you done?"

_Well, this is going to be one hell of a night._

* * *

**Review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**I know, I'm such a bad person, but I really do have legit excuses this time.**

**This chap was almost completely written by last Monday but my laptop broke and I lost all of my files that hadn't been backed up. [I'd written this chapter in a day so it wasn't backed up and I lost it.]**

**I lost all inspiration after that and I'm not entirely happy with this chapter. But never fear! I have a temporary laptop until my new one comes and Chapter11 is being written as we speak!**

**Now, after my grovelling, I give you...**

**Chapter 10**

* * *

**[Damon Salvatore]**

"It's not what it looks like!"

_Oh, how cliché._

Elena moved further into the room so that she was next to me. Her hands were on her hips and the muscles in her shoulders were tense. There was blood all over the room and she looked about ready to snap out of control. I watched her breath catch and knew I had to step in quickly.

"Let's take this upstairs, brother. Where we're not in temptation's way?" I raised my eyebrows, "For _either_ of you."

Stefan glared at me, but stepped away from the freezer all the same.

"Don't pout, Stef. It's not appealing on a man of your age." I quipped.

Elena didn't say a word. She just turned on her heel, took my hand in hers, and led me back up to the kitchen.

I could feel her shaking with some unspoken emotion. Was it anger? Disappointment? Betrayal? I hated not knowing. I could normally read her like an open book but she seemed to have closed herself off from me and I had no idea why.

She took a deep breath of fresh, untainted air and her whole body sagged.

Stefan followed meekly through the door. He was reluctant to ignite the torrent of anger we could both see burning inside Elena, but he knew he'd have to face the music sooner of later.

He stumbled into the room, his hands held up in surrender and his mouth already open to defend himself with yet another weak excuse before Elena's fiery voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Don't you come _anywhere_ near me."

_Well, this is new._

"Elena..."

I stepped behind her when I noticed her visible shaking had become almost a vibration. She was trembling with emotion and I knew she needed to calm down otherwise someone was going to get really hurt.

_Damn newbie heightened emotions._

I leant down an put my lips to her ear. "Calm down, 'Lena."

She spun on me so quickly I had no time to react. She was right up in my face and I had to admit, for a second, I was knocked completely off guard. _Man up, dammit._

"_Calm down?_" Her voice was low but deadly. The icy fire that seeped through every world chilled me to the bone. She looked and sounded alarmingly like Katherine and it threw me for a moment. "How am I supposed to _calm down_?"

Stefan had been quiet up until then and I couldn't blame him. The longer he avoided Elena's wrath the better.

"Elena, just hear me out. Please..."

_I spoke too soon_.

I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her back against my chest in an attempt to pull her back into her normal emotional state. I knew she'd regret letting her anger get the better of her later, but, right now, nothing I did seemed to be working.

"You _promised_ me." She said simply, her voice a murderous whisper. "I trusted that you had it under control. You said you were fine and I _believed_ you!"

"I did have it under control!" Stefan shot back, "I was trying, but it's so difficult to _keep_ control! It's more difficult that you realise Elena!"

Elena looked like he'd slapped her. "Are you fucking kidding me?" Her voice was deadpan as she shrugged off my arms and strode towards my brother.

Stefan looked rightfully alarmed at the movement and he took a subconscious step away from her advance. _Smart move, brother._

"You did this to me, Stefan." She told him simply. "You turned me into this. You of all people should know that I know _exactly_ how difficult it is. If it wasn't for Damon-"

"I get it, Elena. Okay?" He said, exasperated. "You chose Damon, why don't you rub it in a little more?"

Elena gasped sofly. "Is this what this is about?" She glared, "You're gonna turn this on me because I chose your brother? God, Stefan that's pathetic, even for you. You're using my choice against me because I didn't choose _you_."

She pretty much spat the last word and I cheered inwardly at Elena's sass. I loved her fiery side, especially when it was aimed at someone other than myself.

Stefan shrugged. "I don't agree with your decision." He said simply. _No shit, Sherlock._

"But it's _my_ decision!"

Elena threw her hands in the air in annoyance. "Why can't you understand that?"

He said nothing. He just glanced at the floor, silently. _Clever boy._

"Look," She said suddenly and Stefan glanced up instantly at the sudden shift in her tone. "You lied to me, Stefan. All you ever seem to do _is_ lie to me. '_For my own protection_' you say, but _I don't need protecting_."

Stefan's eyes turned hard with resolve and he inched forward. "I was trying to keep you safe, Elena. You were just too stupidly blind to see it."

Elena glared at him, her eyes icy. "Damon has never lied to me. He protects me by telling me the _truth_, unlike you."

I felt a stab of guilt shoot through me at her words. _Oh, Elena. If only you knew..._

Something snapped in Stefan at the mention of my name and he chuckled coldly.

_Woah, mood swing much?_

"Oh yes, _Damon_ has been protecting you! Well then, the rest of us don't need to worry then do we? Because _Damon_ will be there to look after you along the way, won't he? You won't need me anymore, will you?"

Elena's eyes flashed menacingly and I moved closer, prepared to pull her back if she kicked off.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" She growled.

_That's it Steffy, rile her up why don't you?_

"Oh nothing; nothing at all. You're a vampire now, Elena; a monster, just like him. You two are perfect for each other."

Elena moevd so fast, neither of us saw it coming. She pinned Stefan to the wall in the blink of an eye, her heightened emotions making her stronger than him momentarily. The fresh human blood flowing freely through her veins made everything around her more in focus and vibrant.

Her concentration had been everywhere on the way back to the boarding house, but Stefan's actions has her snapped into a perfect mental focus on him. She was directing the violent turbulence of feeling bubbling up inside her at him and I knew it really wasn't going to end well.

"You know what, _Stefan_? You act like a martyr." She all but snarled in his ear. "Every bad thing you've ever done, you've covered up with Damon's mistakes; because the real monster here is _you_, Stefan. Not Damon."

Stefan regained his strength in anger at her words and flung her back across the room into me. We stumbled back before I grabbed her by her elbows and held her upright, my back crashing into the counter top and cracking the marble slightly.

_Fuck._

"You think he's so saintly, Elena." Stefan chuckled. "You don't know the half of it."

Elena shrugged, her temper flaring in her eyes. "You know what I do know? You are pathetic. You don't deserve me, Stefan; but your brother does."

The words rang eerily familiar in my head and I watched Elena's mind work over time as they triggered something in her own memory. Her speech brought back a deluge of emotions as I recalled the first time I'd told her I loved her and I knew that the "half of it" that Elena didn't know, would soon be brought painfully to the surface.

_Oh, shit._

* * *

**[Elena Gilbert]**

_"Cute PJs."_

_Damon smiled shyly at me from his perch on my window seat as I walked back into my bedroom._

_"I'm tired, Damon." I told him, not daring to look him in the eye._

_He didn't listen to me, as I knew he wouldn't. He stood abruptly and moved closer to me so we were only a foot apart. He looked troubled as he raised his right hand in the air and, for the first time, I noticed what he had hanging from his fingers. My necklace._

_"I thought that was gone."_

_He did that eye thing that always drove me crazy and I felt butterflies churn my stomach._

_"Thank you." I reached out to take it but he drew his hand back sharply._

_My hand dropped and my heart started racing at the expression on his face. He looked broken and lost and I felt weary of him suddenly. What was he doing?_

_Oh no..._

_"Please give it back."_

_He struggled for words for a second, like he was fighting an internal war with himself._

_"I just have to say something..." He slinked forward again and I took an instinctual step back away from the advance._

_"Why do you have to say it with my necklace?"_

_He looked confused for a moment, like he hadn't expected me to ask that question; like it wasn't an obvious reaction given the circumstances._

_"Wha..." He shook his head slightly, searching for the right words. "Because what I'm about to say is..." He paused, "Probably the most selfish thing I've ever said in my life."_

_His eyes were full of self-deprecation and he smiled sadly._

_"Damon... don't go there..." I couldn't stop my gaze from dropping to his lips even as I fought not to look at him at all._

_I glanced up at his eyes just as he took another step closer._

_"No, I just need to say it once." He waved his hands as he stalked me and I kept moving backwards, scared of his proximity and the way it made me feel. "You just need to hear it."_

_He gazed down at me, his eyes catching mine, and I was powerless to look away. He nodded to himself, as if convincing himself that this was the right thing to do. He needed this._

_"I love you, Elena." He said softly, his eyes never leaving mine, but searching for my reaction, wanting to know that there was hope, but refusing to believe that there ever could be._

_I blinked at him silently. Of course I'd known what he was about to say, but actually hearing the words spoken from his lips made all the difference._

_"And it's because I love you that..." A frown appeared between his brows and his guard dropped completely. His eyes showed how torn he was inside and how much it really hurt him to say the words. "I can't be selfish with you..."_

_I watched his eyes, refusing to let his admission sink in completely. I couldn't accept the fact that he loved me because that would mean accepting that I felt something for him and the consequences of that would change everything._

_I saw those turbulent eyes fall to my lips briefly. "And why you can't know this..." He closed his eyes like he was in pain and his voice became a throaty whisper. I could hear the tears he was fighting back clear in his every word._

_He shook his head and smiled self-deprecatingly. "I don't deserve you," He honestly believed in his words, I could see the truth in his eyes. He'd convinced himself that he wasn't worthy of me or my affections and it broke my heart._

_I blinked again, opening my mouth to speak but he stopped me. "But my brother does."_

_What?_

_I tried to focus around the sudden tidal wave of emotion he'd stirred inside me. I forced myself to pull it together as he leaned forward and kissed my forehead softly._

_I knew I had to say something because I also knew what was coming next. It suddenly clicked in place why he hadn't given me my necklace back and I knew I had to stop him but my mind was still hazy trying to think around my emotions._

_He was about to cry. I could see the tears shining clearly in his eyes as he tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. "God, I wish you didn't have to forget this..." I tried to speak, really I did, but suddenly my world was lost in his icy blue eyes._

_I watched a single tear roll brokenly down his cheek and I felt my heart break for him. _

_"But you do."_

The memory hit me like a ton of bricks and I felt the air leave my lungs in a sudden rush.

I spun around suddenly, and the second my eyes locked with his, I knew it was real.

Oh my God.

* * *

**[Damon Salvatore]**

She remembered.

I could see it in her eyes when she turned to face me. Her face was beseeching at first, until she read the guilt and regret on my face and then it turned accusatory.

"Elena, let me explain. Please."

"_You don't deserve me, but your brother does_?"

I watched Stefan slip out quietly, unnoticed by Elena. She was too focused on me to care much about anything else.

Now normally, that would make me exceptionally happy, but right now I wished for any distraction so that I didn't have to face her. Call me a coward, but I knew that she wouldn't forgive me for this. She'd always hated me messing with people's minds and, to her, compelling her was probably the worst thing I could've ever done to her.

"Tell me that was the only time."

Her words slammed into me with the force of a truck and I knew I couldn't lie to her. If I didn't tell her the truth now, when she remembered some time in the not-so-distant future, she'd probably try to kill me.

And as a vampire, she had a pretty chance of suceeeding.

_Damn._

I opened my mouth and then closed it again, unable to find words. I stood, gaping like a fish, struggling to speak and my silence confirmed everything Elena needed to hear.

"_Oh my God..."_

She turned to walk away but I grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Please, Elena. Please just let me explain."

She turned around slowly and put her hands on her hips, taking a deep breath and trying to remain calm. "When was it?"

I didn't pretend not to understand but she elaborated nonetheless. "When else did you compel me?"

I closed my eyes in defeat, knowing I'd have to tell her eventually. "The first time we met, here at the boarding house; when I kissed your hand?"

She nodded her head, not entirely understanding where I was going with this.

"That wasn't the first time we met."

Her eyes snapped to mine and I watched shock and anger bubble up inside her. I knew she'd remember eventually, but I had been hoping up until now, evidently in vain, that I'd have more time to figure out how to explain myself.

"When?" Her voice was unsteady and I could see tears stinging in her eyes as she fought for control over her overwhelming emotions.

"Elena..."

"When, Damon?"

I sighed heavily, my shoulders slumping in resignation. "The night your parents died."

Elena's face was a mask of complete surprise. Her eyes were wide and filled with tears and her hands were frozen in mid air.

I watched her eyes glaze over as the memory of our very first meeting flashed through her mind. She felt something for me back then, and, despite my lack of humanity, I was drawn to her too. I wanted to get to know her. She pulled me in and there was something about her that attracted me. Our connection was indescribable and, even now, I couldn't explain the power she had over me.

She was lost in the memory but I could see the scene in my own mind like it was only yesterday.

_Mysterious stranger who has all the answers._

_I've been around a long time._

_So what is it that I want?_

_You want a love that consumes you. You want passion, adventure, and even a little danger._

_I want you to get everything you're looking for._

Her head flew up suddenly, and she gasped as she returned to the present.

"Elena, please. You have to understand."

I reached out to grab her hand but she recoiled from my touch and I flinched at the pain that hit me at the simple movement.

"I was a different person then; it was under entirely different circumstances!" I felt the need to defend myself, knowing that she was probably going to hate me anyway. Well, if I was going to hell, I might as well go the whole way. Right?

She suddenly snapped into control and I watched, bemused, as she rushed forward. I saw it coming; she wasn't as fast as she thought she was. Still, I made no move to stop her as she raised her arm and slapped me clean across the face.

"You think that excuses what you did?" She hissed at me, turning and storming into the parlor. "You fucked with my mind, Damon! You _lied_ to me! Just like Stefan did!"

I was in front of her in an instant. "There's the difference!" I practically growled, "Don't you see? I wasn't protecting you, Elena! I'm not a martyr. I've already told you that." She didn't get it. She wasn't going to, I could see it in her eyes. "I compeled you to protect myself! So that I wouldn't be broken because I knew you couldn't love me!"

I turned my back on her, picking up yet another new bottle of bourbon and taking a gulp. "I was selfish, Elena. I still am. I keep telling you that and yet you keep putting your faith in me and _I don't know why._"

"Because you don't deserve me?" She asked sarcastically, "Because "being selfish" wasn't what you said before." She stalked towards me suddenly and I watched her fire blaze brightly behind her beautiful chocolate eyes. Even in times like these, I revelled in the fact that I brought out such passion within her. I loved her like this, all fiery and confident, despite that I was the reason for her anger.

"You said you couldn't be selfish with me. How is that selfish? The fact that you compelled me is selfish, but..."

Her voice trailed off and I watched her eyes widen as a realisation suddenly hit her.

"You gave me up..." She whispered, "You were going to step aside and let me be happy with Stefan, even if that wasn't what I wanted."

I didn't say anything because I knew that, no matter how much I tried to explain my actions, it wouldn't make a difference to her. I tuned out her voice; I couldn't listen to her rejections anymore. _God_, I'd had enough of those to last me the rest of eternity.

Hearing a few more of her casual brush offs wouldn't make any difference. The realisation that she was inevitably going to give up on me coursed through me suddenly and I felt the fight leave me in a whoosh of breath.

All I'd done for three years was fight. I'd fought against every instinct in me that just wanted to reach out and take her, fuck the consequences. I fought against every fibre of my being that told me to fight _for _her. I fought and I fought to stay away because I thought she would be happy with my brother.

I fought because I knew she _couldn't_ be happy with me.

She would remember the bad things before anything else, because everyone always did. Everything I'd ever done that was good was always overshadowed by something I'd done to hurt someone and this would be no different.

She would always remember this as a betrayal of her trust. I'd taken away her choice. I hated myself for it now, but at the time I had convinced myself that compelling her, both times, would be for my own twisted version of _"the greater good"_.

But then that had always been my way of life, right? Twisted and tainted with darkness. I'd always been the bad guy, the brother to be feared, at least since Lexi had tamed the Ripper into St. Stefan all those years ago.

I would always make those mistakes, would always, inevitably, fall back into the darkness, no matter how hard I fought against it; and I knew one day Elena wouldn't be able to forgive me, and I'd be left broken.

_There's only so much hurt a man can take._

She was still talking to me, ranting at me in anger but I hadn't heard a word she'd said. I had to leave, I had to get as far away from her as possible. I'd had my bag packed for days, waiting for the moment when Elena would go running back into my brother's arms like nothing had ever happened between us. I'd remained in a perpetual state of insecurity and, at least by preparing myself for the worst case scenario, it would be easier to walk away when the time eventually came for me to move on.

That bag was still there, waiting in the entry for me to just pick it up and go. Because I had to leave this place behind and drive until I ran out of road or she'd break me.

Because she would in the end; simply because she was so much better than I could ever be, and I knew it.

I flitted in front of her before she could blink and gazed at her in earnest, making my decision before I'd even moved. I was going to do what I'd always done when the going got tough. I was going to run from my problems and the only good thing I'd ever known in my over-long existence.

I was being selfish; like I always had been, and always would be.

She could tell something was wrong immediately when I didn't speak, but I didn't try to explain myself. That would just make it harder.

I memorised every inch of her perfect face; the fire that burned strongly in her chocolate eyes, her beautiful cheekbones, that gorgeous brown hair that flowed through my finger tips as I reached out to run my hands softly through it.

Those lips. The lips I had only just gained appoval to kiss whenever I wanted, the lips I'd be leaving behind forever in just a matter of minutes.

"Damon?" She asked, confusing marring her perfect features. She looked terrified for moment, and I knew it was because of the expression on my face. I needed her to know that I loved her but I knew that speaking those three words would break my resolve and I would cave before I could go anywhere.

_I don't want to go._

_Forgive me._

_I'm sorry._

_I love you._

But I stayed silent, leaning down and kissing her softly on the lips once.

_"Goodbye Elena."___

* * *

**REVIEW!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Surprise! Early update!**

**I'm back to school next week so I'm trying to get as much writing done as possible before the homework starts piling in!**

**Sorry for the cliffhanger; yes I'm evil, but I'll make it up to you. I promise.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

* * *

**[Elena Gilbert]**

_"Goodbye, Elena."_

Goodbye? Why would he need to say goodbye?

I was thrown completely. My body was running on adrenaline and my mind had some serious catching up to do

I'd been ranting at him, about his compulsion and his decisions and God only knows what else but those two words knocked all other thought out of my head.

_"Goodbye, Elena."_

He was saying goodbye.

Goodbye to me? Where was he going?

He had walked away from me now, heading out to the entry. I followed him numbly, still silent, my brain working overtime to make some sense of what was going on.

It wasn't until I watched him stoop down to pick up a bag; the same bag that I'd snooped through not twenty four hours ago. The bag that held his "essentials".

The bag that he would only need if he was leaving me.

_"Goodbye, Elena."_

_No!_

* * *

**[Damon Salvatore]**

Well, I had expected more of a reaction from her.

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. There were so many emotions swirling about inside me I thought I was going insane. I couldn't focus on one feeling without being bombarded by a thousand others at the same time. I was so torn up inside I felt like I had been shattered to pieces.

I was beyond cut up about my decision and yet Elena hadn't reacted at all.

I'd told her goodbye because I was leaving, though I promised her I never would again, and she just stared at me silently.

I turned to leave and she just followed me like a lost lamb without saying a word. It was frustrating, but I knew if I hesitated for even a second, I wouldn't make it to the door without crumbling.

_Why do I always have to try to be the good guy?_

Doing the right thing always seemed to hurt so much. Being the bad brother was always my forte, so stepping into my brother's shoes was a daunting task, but a task I had to succeed at; for both our sakes.

I stooped down for my bag, hidden beneath thet able, and turned to the door.

I should've known it wasn't going to be that easy, though.

As soon as my fingers touched the door handle, all hell broke loose.

Elena was behind me in an instant.

"You're leaving me?" It was a desperate question, her voice was high and edgy. "Oh my God, you're leaving me."

Her eyes went wide and fresh tears cascaded down her face. Her grip on my arm tightened and she gazed up at me with pleading eyes.

"Why?"

I sighed, trying to steel my resolve._ I will not give in. I can't give in. This is the right thing to do._

"It's the right thing to do, Elena. Deep down, you know that."

I twisted the handle quickly and went to yank the door open but she threw her weight against it. Her desperation and her new vampire strength made certain the door remained closed, despite my harsh pulls of the handle. I thought the ancient oak would shatter from the opposing forces so I relented.

_For fuck's sake. _Why is she dragging this out?

"You need to let me go, Elena. You're just making it worse."

Her eyes suddenly turned livid. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

I slammed the bag back down onto the floor violently and slammed my fist against the wooden panelling of the wall. The wood splintered under the force but I really didn't care.

"No, I am not fucking kidding you, Elena! I'm trying to do the right thing here and all you're doing is making it more painful for both of us!" I didn't want to shout at her. _God_,I didn't want it to end like this, but she was incorrigible, she wasn't about to give up easily; I knew that.

That didn't mean I wanted to walk away from her in anger. I mean, I didn't want to walk away rom her at all, but what I wanted and what was right were two completely different things.

Elena laughed humourlessly, "Oh, I get it._ 'The right thing'_" She mocked, "Like _the right thing_ Stefan did when he lied to me? Or _the right thing_ you did when you compelled me? Look how that turned out, Damon! Were those the right thing to do in the end?"

I wanted to tear my hair out in frustration. God this girl was so blind sometimes! "You don't get it do you? That's exactly what I mean! If I'm out of your life, none of those things will happen again! You won't run the risk of me doing something unforgivable if I leave now. It won't give me a chance to screw up what we have."

"You think you'll screw up?"

"I know it."

"And you think I won't forgive you for it?"

"In the end."

Fresh tears streamed down her face, but her anger was no-where near burnt out. "God, you are so _stupid_, Damon!" She turned and stormed back into the parlour.

Okay, yes, I know shouldn't have followed her. I know that I shouldn't have gone back into that room with her. I also know that I shouldn't have fallen for such an obvious distraction.

Of course I know what I shouldn't have done.

But I did it anyway. _It's because you're whipped, Salvatore._.

Instead of picking up my bag and driving off into the sunset, I stormed after her into the parlour.

"_I'm_ stupid?" I yelled at her as I stalked through the door, "Are you serious? I'm trying to save us both from being broken here Elena! Why can you not understand that?"

She glared at me across the room. _If looks could kill... _"You have no idea, do you? What you're doing isn't the right thing! It's being weak!"

"Oh trust me, Elena." I spat, heading to the liquor cabinet and pulling out my fifth bottle of bourbon of the day. "I need a hell of a lot of courage to walk away from you."

Her eyes shot daggers. "Oh yes, that's right isn't it? _'The going get's tough and the tough get going'_,isn't that what they say?"

I chuckled darkly. "Oh you haven't the slightest clue."

I turned away from her, gulping the alcohol down and striding swiftly back towards the door. I needed to get away from her before I snapped or gave in. Neither would result in a happy ending, so I just had to get away.

She didn't follow me this time but her scream from behind me stopped me in my tracks.

"Yeah, that's it Damon! Do what you Salvatores do best! You drink away the pain instead of fighting and then you leave because you can't stand the fact that you've finally got something worth fighting for!" There was a steely glint in her eye as she screamed in anger, "But I'm obviously not worth enough for you to fight for."

I turned around and shot across the room, in front of her in seconds. "God, you're so fucking infuriating."

It was barely a mutter but it was filled with a violence that would scare even the bravest of men. Not her, though; her stormy chocolate eyes caught and held mine, silently urging to me do something. I wasn't sure if she was daring me to leave or challenging me to stay.

I didn't care.

"You really are a jackass!"

_Here we go._

"We've already established that, _Elena_. Why don't you change the record already?"

Her eyes narrowed and she threw her hands up in the air in irritation.

"If I'm so worth fighting for, why the fuck were you going to leave me?" Elena snapped, "You can't even give me one good reason why you were just going to walk out on me! Is it because you're weak?" She mocked, "Because you can't stand the idea that you actually let me in? Because it's a danger to have someone know you like I do?"

_Screw this_.

"It's because I fucking love you, Elena! This isn't about me! I want you to be happy!" I was practically shouting in her face but, to her credit, she didn't even flinch. "That's all that matters to me, you stupid girl!"

"My happiness?"

"Yes!" I growled, sick of this game we were playing.

"You make me happy."

_"No!"_

It was an honest-to-God snarl and I saw her flinch at my tone.

I twisted back around with the full intention of walking out the door. She was breaching into dangerous territory. Bringing my emotions flying to the surface, would inevitably break me down and then I'd never be able to leave.

"For God's sake Damon, I love you too!"

I stopped suddenly, my resolve wavering.

_No!_

"I love you, you stubborn ass! Why the fuck can't you see that!"

I moved so quickly she didn't even have time to blink.

A millisecond later, the bottle of liquor smashed into the dying embers in the fireplace and the tongues of flame exploded at the contact. It crackled and sizzled and set the room in a deep orange glow.

Elena was pinned against the wall before the bottle touched the ground.

I snarled at her, my fangs snapping down as I let my features shift.

"You drive me fucking crazy!" I growled before my lips descended on hers.

I kissed her with all the pent up anger and frustration and pain I felt toward her and toward leaving her. I threw every emotion in my heart into that one kiss and I knew she felt the inner turbulence she'd stirred within me.

She kissed back with as much passion, her arms winding around my neck and yanking on my hair as her lips moved, almost violently, over mine.

It was passion and heat and anger and desperation. It was perfect. It was terrifying.

But it was _us_.

I loved her more than anything and I wanted to save her, wanted to keep her safe. I thought leaving her was the right thing to do, but, holding her in my arms, touching her and kissing her, I wasn't so sure anymore.

She broke down every barrier I'd ever put in place to protect myself. She _knew_ me, inside and out, and I knew that no-one could ever understand me in the way that she could.

The kiss lasted several minutes but the passion between us never dulled. I was still angry at her for ruining my plans, but the taste of her was pure Heaven and I wasn't sure I was strong enough to leave and live without it for very long.

When I finally pulled away from her lips several minutes later, her arms stayed resting around my shoulders as we both desperately panted for breath. Even vampire stamina was knocked off it's block by our passion.

She gazed up at me with her beautiful doe eyes and I watched her mask of anger slip. Her love for me shone clearly in those eyes as she let her compassion take over.

"You really were leaving because you thought you weren't enough for me weren't you?" She lifted her hand and pressed her palm against my cheek, her thumb tracing the veins under my eyes. My features hadn't changed back yet and I was too lost in her eyes to consciously do anything about it.

I tried, really I did, to put my resolve back in place; the little voice in my head demanding, _Dammit, Salvatore! Don't be weak, just walk out the door and don't look back!_

But the second I saw that love in her eyes and the tender touch of her skin on mine I was lost.

I forgot the reason I was supposed to leave in the first place. I forgot everything else because she was my everything.

What would I do without her?

I hadn't realised I'd spoken the words aloud until I heard her soft chuckle.

"You wouldn't." She replied, gently brushing my hair away from my forehead. It was such a tender gesture that I almost felt the need to cry. _Cry? Oh for fuck's sake; what has this girl done to me?_

I stepped back, my face changing back to normal as I did, and felt an instant sense of disappointment at the loss of contact with her body.

"I guess we just had our first fight as a couple." I smirked cheekily.

She smiled at me shly and giggled, tilting her head to the side. "You're forgiven, I suppose." She pursed her lips and put on her most condescending voice, "But don't do it again, Mr. Salvatore."

I grinned at her, folding my arms around her waist, pulling her against me and pecking her on the lips, "There's no chance of that now, is there Miss. Gilbert?"

Her eyesbrows drew together for a moment before she realised what I meant and she swatted my arm playfully before wrapping her own arms around my neck.

"That's good Mr. Salvatore. You know the rules, and I wouldn't want to have to punish you." She whispered into my ear.

I wiggled my eyebrows, "Hmm, what kind of punishment?"

She smacked my arm again, but it was more playful than punishing. "Jackass."

"There's my girl."

* * *

**[Elena Gilbert]**

Drama over, Damon and I dawdled about the room for a while, drinking his bourbon and just sitting together.

It felt right to lay in his arms and have him hold me close.

He'd unbuttoned his shirt and we were laying casually on the couch, my head resting in the crook of his shoulder.

I had been absentmindedly tracing patterns on his naked chest for a good half hour and I suddenly began to wonder about things other than how beautiful Damon Salvatore actually was.

Call me shallow, but _damn_, _was he hot_.

Sitting quietly for what felt like an eternity had reminded me of other things, though; like wondering what time it was.

I stood up quickly, stretching my arms above me and watching Damon lean back, his hands behind his head, enjoying the view. He smirked, his eyes raking swiftly down my body before he whistled in appreciation.

I rolled my eyes at him and his smirk widened before he became serious.

"Done resting?"

I shrugged, sauntering towards the windows. I'd forgotten everything that had happened in the last few days after merely lying with Damon for a few hours and I needed a good breath of sunlight to wake me up properly.

But there was the other thing I'd forgotten; like how I was temporarily allergic to sunlight.

"I was wondering what the time was and I thought maybe getting these," I tugged on the thick black curtains to emphasise my point, "Out of the way, might shed some light on the situation." _No pun intended_.

Damon's eyes widened and he sat up suddenly as I yanked the curtains apart and gazed out into the morning sun.

"_No!_"

I thought I heard Damon screaming something at me but I couldn't be entirely sure. The second the sunlight touched my skin I felt like I was dying. It was like I had been hit by a truck, set on fire, thrown into a pool of acid and exploded by dynamite at the same time.

My vampire body was only hours old and it only took a thousandth of a second for me to feel this level of pain. It shot through my like daggers, scratching and scraping and burning at every part of my skin. It took a millisecond for me to be set on fire and it was only a millisecond before I was back in the safety of darkness.

I'd clearly forgotten the difference between Damon and I. For Damon, it would take several seconds for the sun to even effect him, but I'd forgotten how much younger than him I actually was. I'd forgotten about the ring that saved him from the unbearable pain the sunlight brought.

I'd forgotten I was a vampire; period.

* * *

**[Damon Salvatore]**

Her piercing scream tore through the air and I thought that sound alone would kill me.

It took a fraction of a second for me to reach her and even less that for me to shove her back into the shadows.

She was gasping for breath, curled in on herself, her body already trying to heal the burnt flesh covering the majority of her bare skin.

I pulled her onto my lap, crawling into the corner and holding her securely away from the light. She whimpered, burrowing her face into my chest as her own heaved, fighting to pull unneeded air into her lungs.

Her skin was red and raw, but mostly healed. I knew she'd need more blood to heal her but I didn't want to let her go just yet. She needed me to comfort her.

"Shh," I crooned, stroking her hair softly and nuzzling my cheek against her head. "It's okay, 'Lena, you're safe with me. I promise."

A few minutes later, she raised her head. Her eyes were red from unshed tears but she gave me a watery smile and hugged me close. She seemed to have gotten a grip on herself fairly quickly and I felt pride swell within me at her resiliance.

She glanced up at me, almost shyly. "I'm hungry."

I chuckled at her expression. She looked meek, like she was embarassed to ask me to feed her.

"Don't be embarassed, baby." I chastised her, "This is your life now, just like it is mine."

I kissed her on the nose before lifting her bridal style, and, careful to avoid the shafts of sunlight flooding the centre of the room, carried her down to the basement.

"You're getting heavy, Miss. Gilbert."

"Oi!"

I laughed. placing her on her feet at the bottom of the stairs and giving her a look that she knew meant don't-you-dare-move. She nodded and rolled her eyes, leaning back against the wall and wincing when the stone scratched at her sore skin.

I pulled out three bags, two for her, one for me, and led her back up to the kitchen.

She settled herself on the stool at the island as I poured the blood into glasses, trying to make it easier on her.

She almost laughed at my attempts at domesticality and pecked me softly on the cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," I replied, downing my glass in three gulps before glancing at the timer on the microwave.

9:45am.

_Time flies when you're having fun_.

I moved in front of Elena as she finished her second glass and boxed her in with my palms resting on the counter on either side of her.

"Look, I'm gonna go and phone Caroline; see what she can do about getting you a ring without telling Bonnie just yet. We don't want too many people knowing you're not... completely dead, right now." I told her, "I will figure something out but I want _you_ to go upstairs and get some sleep. You're gonna need all your energy later."

She didn't argue with me. _Makes a change._ She just stood up, hugged me fiercely, and made her way upstairs.

I stared after her for a few minutes, wondering how getting her to agree to being out of action for a while had been that easy before I shrugged it off.

I knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

I dialled Blondie's number, cringing as her shrill voice rang loudly through the phone. "Hi, Damon!"

_Urgh._ "Hey, Barbie. I need your help."

She laughed, "If this is about Elena's ring, it's almost done."

"I'm sorry, wha-"

Blondie had the audacity to actually tut at me and _sigh_. Damn, that girl had a death wish.

"I assumed Elena would be needing a ring, and, seeing as Bonnie isn't going to take too well to _both_ her best friends becoming members of Mystic Falls' undead, I took matters into my own hands."

God, she was so condescending; and cryptic. Couldn't she just spit it out? How the hell did Elena put up with her?

"So that means..."

"It means that Bonnie thinks she's making a temporary necklace for me to wear to the halloween ball. The magic only lasts a couple weeks but I figured you'll tell her by then so it's all good."

She'd really thought of everything and I hated to admit, she'd done a good job._ Damn her organisational skills._

"You're welcome!" She sang, before hanging up.

I rolled my eyes, tossing my phone back onto the counter and running my fingers through my hair. Blondie had brought down the home truth of the situation; telling Judgy wasn't going to be easy.

But we'd cross that bridge when we came to it.

I headed upstairs then, wanting to check on Elena and see if she needed anything.

When I reached the spare room she'd been staying in all year I was shocked to find it empty. Her clothes were missing from the closet and her photos were gone from her dresser.

For a fleeting second I thought she'd run off, until I heard her soft sleepy sigh from down the hall.

I couldn't help the honest, jaw breaking grin that split my face when I walked into my own room and found Elena curled up in the middle of my bed.

She looked so peaceful when she slept, like the dramas of the past few days were somewhere far beyond where they couldn't touch her.

Her clothes were hanging in my closet, her toiletries balanced precariously on the overfull rack in my shower, and her photo frames strewn randomly across the bedside cabinet.

Somehow it just looked fitting. Having her stuff in my room, her sleeping in my bed; it felt _normal_.

I moved further into the room, crawling onto the bed and laying down beside her. I reached out and brushed hair away from her forehead, tracing the line of her jaw with my fingertips. _God, you're perfect_.

I kissed her gently on her sleeping lips before pulling her against my chest.

"I love you, Elena." I mumbled into her hair.

I thought she was sound asleep and I hadn't expected her mumbled reply. "I love you too." She whispered, cuddling deeper into me as she drifted back to sleep.

I hugged her to me tightly and nuzzled my chin against her hair as I fell asleep with a genuine smile on my face and the girl I loved safe in my arms.

For the first time in a very long time, I felt happy.

* * *

**Oh, you didn't really think I'd let him leave, did you?**

**No need to worry, those who want passion, adventure and even a little danger! There's much more drama, angst and Delena fluuuff to come!**

**REVIEW!**


	12. Chapter 12

**I am so so sorry! I am a terrible person; I know.**

**I've had coursework and work and God only knows how much other stuff to do these past weeks and I'm beyond exhausted but _nonetheless!_**

**Here is Chapter 12!**

* * *

**Damon Salvatore**

I woke a few hours later to the feel of a soft warm body curled tightly against my chest.

_Is this a dream?_

No, she felt too real to be a figment of my imagination.

Not daring to open my eyes in case the dream shattered, I inhaled deeply. The scent of honey and lilacs and strawberries and sunshine suddenly flooded through me and I smiled softly.

This was definitely the perfect way to wake up.

I felt her shift slightly and sigh sleepily, her breath huffing against my neck. I pulled back to look at her, finally opening my eyes and gazing down at her sleeping form.

She was truly beautiful; her luscious brown hair was draped across her shoulder, spilling softly across her cheek. I pushed the hair back so it framed her face and leant down to kiss her softly on the lips.

She stirred, her eyes fluttering open and a peaceful smile curving at her lips. "Mmm... Morning..." She mumbled.

I chuckled, stroking her cheek with the pad of my thumb. "Good afternoon, beautiful," My voice was husky and she giggled as I cleared my throat before the realisation of my words fully formed in her mind.

She was startled suddenly, clearly having forgotten the extremely long night we'd just had. "Wow, it's afternoon already?"

She glanced towards the window in silent horror, but the thick black curtains blocked the path of any dangerous sunlight that threatened to touch her.

I chuckled at the look of sheer relief that flooded her face.

"You're safe with me, Elena. I promise." I smiled at her.

She nuzzled her cheek back against my chest. "I know," She sighed, "I'm just paranoid. You know me; always worrying." She tried to make a joke out of the situation but I could hear the real fear laced in her anxious voice.

"Hey," I said, pulling her chin up so I could look into her eyes. "What's bothering you?"

Elena looked down at the floor and I knew that whatever was on her mind was to do with us and our new _'situation'_.

"You can tell me, 'Lena."

She nodded, once again glancing towards the blacked out windows and I thought of the fear she must have of the pain of the sunlight she had felt only hours before and suddenly it clicked into place.

"You're worried about Bonnie aren't you?"

Elena smiled sadly, "I don't want her to hate me. I mean, now both of her best friends are vampires and everyone knows how much she hates vampires. What if she hates me because of what I've become?" Her eyes filled with tears and her voice broke twice.

I wordlessly pulled her against my chest, cradling her in the warmth of my arms, and tried to shield her from her worries.

"She'll understand why it had to happen, Elena. It wasn't your fault! You didn't ask to die like that; just like Caroline didn't, and me and Stefan didn't. It's just how the world works." I smiled down at her, squeezing her tightly, "And for the record, I don't understand how anyone could hate you. Ever."

Elena flushed slightly at the unexpected compliment. She hiccuped as she gazed up at me lovingly.

_Damn, she's perfect._

"Even if she could accept what I am now," She continued, her brow creasing with worry, "She might just hate me because I'm in love with you."

I felt my insides twist with a sudden sharp pain at the thought that, once again, I was taking away a part of her life.

I'd already taken away her chances at a human life thanks to all the supernatural shit my brother and I had brought back to this town. Now I was taking her friends from her. We both knew we had a snowball in hell's chance of getting Bonnie's blessing.

"Look, Elena-"

I wasn't even entirely sure what I had been about to say but she interrupted me anyway. She seemed to have predicted what she thought I was going to say because she shot me down straight away.

"No, Damon. Don't even go there, okay?" She'd pulled herself together and, as she spoke, she looked me right in the eye, determination shining on her face. "I don't care what she thinks about us; or anyone else for that matter. If they don't approve then that's their problem." She turned on her side so we were face to face, only inches apart. "I chose you because I love you, Damon. Just because they don't agree with my decision, doesn't change that because I'll still love you."

"So what they say won't make any difference?" Dammit, even I could hear how weak my voice sounded. That girl had me wrapped around her little finger.

"It doesn't change a thing; I promise."

* * *

We lay together for what felt like hours, Elena's head against my chest and my arm wrapped tightly around her waist. No words were exchanged because, really, no words were needed. We were just content to lie there together in silence. I was just happy to have her in my arms and be sure of her love, because that was enough for me.

And it always would be.

The shrill ringing of Elena's phone from downstairs jolted us back to reality.

I laughed at the look of sheer wonder on Elena's face when she realised just how clear her hearing had become.

She grinned at me before zipping down to grab her phone from her purse.

Her peels of delicious laughter rang through the house and I couldn't help smiling at her.

Her childish wonder was contagious and it made me feel all happy inside. Not that I'd ever admit that to anyone. _Ever_. Not even Elena.

I shuddered to think of how people's perception of me would change if they realised that one small, not-so-fragile anymore, little girl could turn me into a fuzzy pile of loved up goop.

_Urgh._

She came shooting back into the room only seconds later, the beeping phone still buzzing annoyingly in her hand.

She hadn't even glanced at the ID yet, and, truth be told, I kind of wish she hadn't.

Elena's smile dropped and the mischievous light in her eyes vanished as she saw the name blinking on her screen.

She turned the phone around without a word, but I didn't have to see to know who was calling.

_Bonnie Bennett_

"You should answer it." I told her gently, even though it wasn't hard to predict the conversation that was soon to be had. I was in no way looking forward to explaining everything to witchy, but I knew Elena needed to confront her fears before she could really accept her new life and move on.

Elena grimaced, before climbing up into my lap, leaning into my chest and pushing the 'accept' button. "Hey, Bonnie."

The witch's voice rang through the phone in a rush. God, that voice made my skin crawl.

"_Elena!_ Where have you been? What happened? Caroline wouldn't tell me anything except you've been on house arrest with Damon and I've been so worried and no one will tell me anything. Don't you think I deserve to know what's going on? For Christ's sake, there's always some drama going on and I deserve to know Elena! Dammit-"

Elena took a deep breath and cut her off.

"Come over in a half hour. I need to tell you something."

Then she hung up the phone and tossed it across the room. It landed with a thump on the leather arm chair in the corner and she just glared at it in anger.

"She's going to hate me, and she's not going to help us. She's _selfish_, you know that?"

I was shocked for a second. I'd never ever heard Elena talk about her friends like that. Admittedly, inside I was practically happy dancing. Bonnie was a self-righteous, judgemental little witch; but she was Elena's friend and my opinion clearly differed from hers.

_Not anymore, obviously._

"She hates people for things they can't control!" She fumed, standing up and pacing the room at vampire speed.

It was actually quite amusing to watch.

"I get why she'll hate me for choosing you and I really don't give a damn. But she can't hate me for being a vampire because I had no choice. I did this to survive and she's going to have to deal with that, whether she likes it or not."

She didn't look up once, just carried on pacing the room; and I let her. She'd kept her opinions bottled up for so long and these overwhelming emotions were just helping her release pent up energy. She _needed_ to let it out and I was more than happy to listen to the secret opinions she'd been hiding from the world.

Her mood swings were more of a vampire perk than built-up emotion, though. I was positive that if her emotions weren't heightened (and as unstable as Stefan's feeding habits), she'd still be pretending that Bonnie was just being a _'caring friend'_.

"I just don't get it. She acts like she's a martyr in all this and she's really not. Like every bad thing that happens is someone else's fault!"

I just listened, trying not to smirk, but also knowing that, on a serious note, Elena really meant what she said. The next hour was going to be tough and I knew it could all kick off if the mood Elena was in was anything to go by. It just depended how the new vampire would take Bonnie's reaction.

_Fun times._

* * *

**Elena Gilbert**

I don't know what came over me.

One minute I was feeling guilty as hell that I'd have to break more devastating news to Bonnie, and the next I was spilling my guts to Damon about all the feelings I'd been hiding since all this began.

I admit it felt good to finally say out loud what I'd been thinking for well over two years. It was just so _easy_ to talk to Damon. I knew I could trust him with my secrets. I'd trust him with my life, and I had on many occasions.

I also knew he felt exactly the same way I did about the witch. He was just a little more... _open_ about it.

I always liked to just pretend I couldn't notice how judgemental she really was towards everybody. But after a while it got harder and harder to ignore and, instead, we just grew apart.

I didn't know why I suddenly felt so angry at her. It could just be the amplified emotions that coursed through me, but I knew that I just felt like punching something or tearing someone apart.

_This must be how Damon feels when he gets angry._

It was easier to sympathise with him now we were on the same wavelength. I could see how hard it was for him to keep his emotions under control, especially when the onslaught tried to pull you under. It was easy to give in to temptation, but I knew I had to fight against it.

So I took a deep breath and stopped directly in front of Damon.

I could see he was thoroughly enjoying himself. He was trying to hide a smirk, but the playful sparkle was clear in his eyes.

_Smug bastard._

"I'm sorry," I said, and despite myself, I couldn't help laughing at his expression.

He was outraged. "Do _not_ apologise for saying what you really mean, Elena."

I just shrugged, an amused smile still tugging at my lips.

He sat down next to me and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. "You can talk to me about anything, especially if it involves that annoying witch. You know I don't like her, so I absolutely _love_ to see you talk like that about her."

I slapped his chest, but it was more playful than painful. "_Damon_..." I chastised.

He chuckled, "She just rubs me up the wrong way. Sue me."

He was trying to cheer me up, bless him. He just wanted to make me happy, and I had to admit, it was working.

That is until we both heard the screeching of tires on the gravel driveway.

I tensed.

_Time to face the music._

* * *

**Damon Salvatore.**

The little witch muttered to herself all the way up the driveway about how she was _'always the last to know things'_.

I'll tell you now, if it wasn't for Elena, I'd have snapped that girl's neck a long time ago.

She pounded her fists against the door like a madman and I saw Elena wince.

I stood up slowly, tangling my fingers with hers as I pulled her along with me and down the stairs. I led her to the entry, the witch still banging loudly on the door and demanding to be let in.

I put a finger to my lips and motioned for Elena to move into the parlour.

She caught my idea right away, as I had known she would. Obviously, I didn't want Bonnie to give me a witchy aneurism before Elena could explain what was going on because _damn_, did they hurt like a bitch.

The door swung open and Bonnie nearly fell into the house.

"_Finally!_" She glared at me, not even hesitating before she stormed past me.

"Oh sure, why don't you come in?" I shouted after her retreating back.

She ignored me, just stopping in the middle of the room before spinning to face me.

"Where's Elena?"

I looked her over quickly, analysing her state of mind _before_ we'd dropped the big revelation. It probably wouldn't be the best idea to send Judgy off on a magical-rampage across Mystic Falls when she found out.

So I'm a hypocrite. I like vamp-rampaging; it releases energy. But this time I was on the opposite side of the glass and I could _kind of_ see where Elena's disappointment and irritation came from every time I kicked off like that.

"Damon! Don't ignore me!"

_Urgh._ I rolled my eyes and the witch scowled at me.

"Where is Elena, Damon?" She asked again, stalking forward. "I know you've probably kidnapped her to help with one of your sick little schemes, but I need to see her now. So I'm going to ask you again, where is she?"

"She's exactly where she was when she called you, Bonnie."

"There aren't any humans here besides me, for God's sake. _Where is she_?"

I saw Elena move into the room in my peripheral vision as I stared the witch down. So instead of answering her patronising little rant, I raised my eyebrows and cocked my head to the side, pointedly glancing in the new vampire's direction.

Bonnie span in a circle, her eyes landing on Elena. "_Oh my God_, Elena!" She ran towards her but before she could reach her, she stopped.

Her face clouded with confusion, her eyebrows drawing together as she focused on something. I knew she could sense it; the new aura hovering around Elena.

I'd noticed it from the moment she'd completed the transition and I wasn't even a witch.

I could practically see the second that little lightbulb flashed on above Bonnie's head.

"Oh my God..."

_Bingo._

She started backing away from the vampire, her eyes filled with horror and anger.

"No, Elena. Not you as well."

Elena reached for her friend but the witch recoiled in disgust. "Bonnie..."

"Elena don't..." I warned, feeling the turbulent emotions exuding from Bonnie. It definitely wasn't good.

"_You!_" Her violent eyes suddenly landed on me, turning her anger at the loss of her human friend onto the person she seemed to blame for everything. "You did this to her!"

_What?_ How the fuck was this my fault? The little witch didn't know the half of it but _of course_ she'd play the blame game and make me her victim.

"On the contrary, witchy-"

I didn't get to finish my sentence before the searing fire of her magical vamp brain aneurisms burnt through my mind.

I snarled, pressing my palms to my temples, holding my breath and squeezing my eyes shut in an attempt to reduce the pain. It didn't work, of course, and not even a second later, my knees gave out underneath me and I collapsed to the floor.

"_No!_"

That scream tore through me like a knife. Elena's voice cracked and there was a loud thump before the fire extinguished and my head cleared.

I felt Elena's hands pulling my face up and I managed to open my eyes to glance up at her. Panic was stamped across her own face, and honest fury caused her whole body to quiver as she checked to make sure I was okay.

"Damon..." She breathed, brushing hair back from my face and giving me a once over.

"I'm fine, 'Lena." I gave her a reassuring smile, even though I felt weakened, and watched the relief flood her face.

I looked around the room, suddenly hyper aware that I couldn't see the witch.

She was sprawled on the floor in the doorway, clutching her shoulder. Her eyes, filled with realisation and anger, were locked on our exchange.

Elena looked up and met the girl's accusing stare. "Damon didn't do this to me, Bonnie. Rebekah did."

Bonnie ignored her, instead, pushing herself to her feet, still cradling her injured arm. "You chose him?" She demanded to know, "You chose _Damon_?"

Elena's chin lifted pugnaciously. She wasn't going to let her friend intimidate her, it wasn't in her fiery nature. "Yes I did. Is there a problem?"

Bonnie spluttered, her mouth hanging open as she struggled with her incoherent reaction.

Even from my place on the floor, I could see the victorious smirk spread across Elena's lips. All I wanted in that moment was to kiss her senseless. She was defending me, _us_, to her friend. If she wouldn't let Bonnie turn our relationship into something wrong, then nobody else had even a hope in hell.

She was actually defending me; and to our relationship's biggest threat at that, despite the fact that they were _supposedly_ best friends.

It felt pretty damn amazing, to say the least.

"You're making a mistake, Elena." She warned, her voice bitter.

"I beg to differ."

"Well then you are more stupid than I thought."

Elena stood swiftly and moved towards the young witch. "It's my life, Bonnie! _My_ decisions; _my_ rules. Everyone wants me to be this perfect little do-good Elena, well newsflash; I'm not perfect! I don't want to be. No-one even stops to _consider_ what I want?"

"What _you_ want?" Bonnie scoffed, "All anybody cares about is what poor little Elena wants and how to keep her safe! The problem being, you always want the wrong things! You fell in love with _monsters_, and then you expect people to save you from them! Can you not see how wrong that is? It's wrong to want things like that!"

_Hypocritical much?_ God, I wanted to punch that girl so badly. Bonnie was always playing the saviour; the one that saved the day but was never appreciated.

It was my life through someone else's eyes, except I didn't overdramatise my need for someone to actually pay attention to me.

_Because I'm not a judgemental little witch._

"Like him," she jolted her chin in my direction, "He'll only destroy you, Elena. Then you'll have no-one. It's only a matter of time, because that's what he always does. He'll ruin you and you'll come crawling back to the people you left behind."

Elena pressed Bonnie up against the wall and her voice was cold, but sincere. "His name is _Damon_, and I love him, Bonnie."

My breath hitched and my thoughts rushed a mile a minute. Even though she'd confessed her love hundreds of times in the last day, hearing her confirm it to someone else made it all the more real and I had to hold back the huge grin that threatened to split across my face.

_Damn, what did I do to deserve that girl?_

Elena had continued talking through my lovestruck moment and I soon tuned back in to her, too intrigued by the current goings on to really block it out.

"-I do. And he loves me too. He respects me and he tells me the _truth_. When everyone else around me is trying to turn me into someone I'm not, it's _him_ that's there to listen and to understand me when no-one else tries to."

Bonnie opened her mouth to protest but the look Elena must have given her stopped her in her tracks. I could feel the coldness of her gaze from across the room.

I wanted to get up and comfort her, but, for the life of me, I couldn't find the strength to tear my eyes away from her. She was a goddess; fiery and full of passion. She wasn't backing down, even though she'd seen, first hand, what magic tricks the witch had up her sleeve. I was so proud of her and how far she'd come from being the girl who didn't know what she wanted.

"I'm a vampire now, Bonnie." She continued, "Deal with it. I chose Damon, and nothing anyone can say will make me change or regret my decision."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You think it'll last? He'll get bored of you or you'll run back to Stefan. He's a psychopath and you're becoming just like him." She looked down at Elena's bare hand and chuckled, "No ring yet?" She asked sweetly, "Is that why the curtains are drawn? So poor little _fragile_ Elena doesn't get hurt by the sun?" Her voice was childish and sarcastic. "Too bad I won't help you."

Elena laughed coldly and the sound sent shivers down my spine.

"I don't need a judgemental, arrogant, patronising little witch like you help me with anything. I don't need your holier-than-thou attitude and I certainly don't want your opinion."

Everyone was silent for a resounding moment.

I gaped, open mouthed at Elena as she tore her friend to shreds (figuratively speaking) in front of my eyes.

I wasn't sure whether to worship at her feet or slap some sense into her. I didn't know what had gotten into her to make her this feisty!

_But damn, did I like it!_

Bonnie just stared at her, shock clear on her face and, before she could compose herself enough to form a response, Elena continued.

"Oh, and _'fragile little Elena'_ is ten times stronger than you now, little girl. So if you threaten, or hurt, Damon or anyone else that I love, I won't hesitate to rip your throat out and tear you to shreds."

There was another second of silence as the seriousness and brutal honesty of Elena's threat sank in and then Bonnie did something very, very stupid.

It happened so fast but my mind ran in slow motion. I was in behind Elena in a second, but it wasn't enough time to stop it.

As Bonnie's hand lifted into the air, my only thought was; _'fucking hell she has one hell of a death wish'._

Then the echoing slap of the witch's palm against Elena's cheek sounded through the room.

_Oh shit._

* * *

**__REVIEW!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Well, here it is; the final chapter of Only One.**

**I wanted to carry this on, but now that season four has started, I know I'll be too tempted to use the show's storylines and I'd rather keep them original.**

**So this is it, I guess.**

******Thank you so much for every single read, review, follow and favourite. They all mean so much.**

* * *

**[Damon Salvatore]**

_Well, fuck._

Bonnie's eyes were wide with sudden fear as the realisation of what she'd just done hit her.

_Vampire 101, Witchy, never challenge a baby vamp._

Elena went off like a firecracker. She launched forward and Bonnie was slammed against the wall by her throat before I could even blink.

Elena's growl was practically a shriek as she held the witch a good foot off the floor with just the palm of her hand.

"You. Little. Bitch."

Bonnie was gasping, her feeble little hands grasping at Elena's slender fingers, attempting to pry them from her throat.

I noticed, with sudden alarm, that Elena's eyes were focused on the witch. She was completely in control of herself; she knew who she was and she certainly knew who Bonnie was.

_This isn't supposed to happen so soon._

Elena should have snapped out of herself on instinct. She should have ripped the witch apart in rage by now. Her vampire urges should have taken over already but she seemed perfectly calm.

That definitely wasn't a good sign.

I put my hand on her arm carefully.

"Elena, stop."

Bonnie's eyes locked with mine as she gasped for air and I couldn't help myself but to wink at her sarcastically over Elena's shoulder.

If I had a choice I'd have left her at Elena's mercy but I didn't want to face the witch's wrath when she finally regained consciousness. Her little powers could be a real pain in the ass sometimes.

When it became apparent that Elena had no intention of loosening her grip on her, Bonnie's eyes narrowed and she held her breath as she focused in on Elena.

A second later, the vampire was on her knees shrieking in agony at the pain lancing through her brain. Her palms were pressed to her temples as she cringed against the cold floor.

"_STOP!_" I roared, charging for Bonnie but she caught me off guard. I suddenly felt a blast of her power and then I was flying through the air and landing with a sickening crash against the glass cabinet by the door.

There was a loud smash as the glass shattered and instantly I could smell my own blood as the shards cut into my hands. _Urgh_. The feeling of all the tiny cuts in my skin stitching themselves back together made me shiver.

I glanced up in time to see Bonnie, malicious smile in place and fiery eyes still locked on me, go flying backwards, as her witchy migraine hit me with the force of a truck.

A fraction of a second later, the pain stopped as the witch soared through the entry and into the parlour. I couldn't see where the witch had landed, but an echoing thud and the smash of glass told me it wasn't good, either way.

When my eyes finally landed on Elena, she was crouched by the door, a look of horror stamped on her face.

Pulling shards of glass from my palms, I stood up slowly, brushing dust and crystals from my jeans before flitting to her side.

She looked almost in a trance, staring, transfixed, into the parlour.

"Elena?"

She didn't even blink.

_This is definitely not normal._

I rested my hand gently on her back and she startled. I breathed a sigh of relief before I watched her eyes widen further as she really took in the scene before her.

I followed her gaze to the opposite side of the room where Bonnie lay unconscious. The force with which Elena had thrown her had been brutal. The wooden sideboard was tilted back against the wall with a very broken looking Bonnie curled in a heap at the base.

"Oh God, what have I done?"

The witch's body was twisted at a painful angle and, to any human, she almost looked... dead.

But the unsteady beat of her heart pounding in my ears couldn't be ignored. She was alive but she needed help immediately if she were to stay that way.

I suddenly noticed something glimmering on the floor in the light from the window. The reflection cast a hundred specks of multi-coloured light dancing and swirling around the walls.

I moved closer to her, unable to see the object but just knowing that it was important for me to get it; whatever it was.

I stooped to the floor, and gently pulled the necklace from the witch's pocket. It was the temporary day-walking necklace Bonnie had unknowingly made for Elena. It was beautiful. Not quite as beautiful as the ring I'd had in mind for Elena's more permanent sun-protection accessory, but beautiful in it's own right.

I turned around and tossed it straight at Elena, who caught it easily with her new reflexes. She stared at it unseeing for a few moments before clasping it quickly and mechanically around her neck, almost like she was on auto-pilot.

She then took a step closer, almost into the shaft of sunlight spotlighting Bonnie's unconscious form, but not directly into it. She seemed scared to test the offending piece of jewellery, as if somehow Bonnie could have tricked us.

Tentatively, she raised her left palm and inched it closer to the slip of light.

When her fingertips made contact with the bright light she flinched, but her skin remained perfect. She took another step closer, her breath caught in wonder as she gazed at the hand, now bathed to the palm, in the deathly sunlight.

I took a deep breath of relief. It was a heavy weight off my shoulders to know Elena was protected from yet another threat.

It was then that the smell of Bonnie's blood suddenly hit me and I scanned the visible sections of her body for any bleeding injuries. There was blood seeping from an ugly wound in her head and I felt Elena tense beside me.

"Damon!" She gasped, the shaking in her muscles starting up again as she fought to ignore the urge to breathe in the alluring scent. Her face was a mask of panic as she shuddered, her eyes transfixed on the blood pooling on the floor.

"Go outside, Elena." I ordered, turning to face her quickly and backing her towards the front door.

"But-"

"Don't breathe!"

She just nodded mutely, still holding her breath, and stepped outside. I heard her open the Camaro doors and lock herself inside and I let myself visibly relax for a second, running through a to-do list in my head.

I kept an ear out for sounds of the young vampire approaching the house again. She wasn't even a day old, so there was always the risk of her losing control. I really hoped that, for once in her life (or un-life), she would actually listen to me and stay in the damn car.

I didn't need her guilt for this on me as well as everything else.

She was muttering nonsense to herself for a bit, and I figured it was to distract herself, so I let her.

I had more important issues to deal with.

I flashed to Bonnie's side, trying to assess her injuries without actually touching her. It was difficult, due to the twisted position of her body and the ever-growing pool of blood near her head. The blood alone made it difficult for me to think. I hadn't fed as much as usual over the past few days, but I knew I had to grin and bear it if I wanted to help the witch.

Crouching down beside her, I ripped a strip of fabric from the bottom of her t-shirt and pressed it to the gash on the back of her head, trying to stem the flow of her blood.

The pressure on the wound didn't seem to be working, though. Her heart was slowing more and more by the minute and I knew she wouldn't last the ride to the hospital.

"When you wake up, don't kill me, Judgy." I told her as I tore the flesh of my wrist open and held it in front of her mouth. "I'm trying to help you."

I sighed, and shook my head at the trouble I knew I'd get for doing this; despite the fact that I was saving her life. And it was the only way to save her now; none of her witchy ju-ju would keep her alive in this situation, so she'd just have to trust me.

I rolled my eyes at the thought. _Yeah, because that's likely. _

"Bring it on, Bonnie."

**[Elena Gilbert]**

_Okay, breathe. In, out. In, out._

Oh my God. I almost killed my best friend. I threw her into a wall.

"I hurt Bonnie."

_In, out._

This wasn't good. I let my anger take over. I hurt somebody. I never wanted to do that. I just wanted her to stop hurting Damon.

"But she was hurting him. Why was she hurting him?"

_Damon._

The anger flared up again suddenly inside me and I clenched my eyes shut tightly and fisted my hands against the leather seat.

She was hurting Damon. No one could hurt Damon. I just had to stop her. I had to stop his pain; but I'd forgotten my own strength. I was careless and it could've ended far, far worse if Damon hadn't been in control.

I felt so guilty for hurting her, even though that little voice of honesty in my mind was still grinning maliciously.

She was being judgemental and just downright mean and, most of all, she had no right to say those terrible things to me.

She was acting like I'd fallen in love with Damon to spite her; like I'd chosen to love him because he was the one person she hated most. It was like she thought I was stupid and she was somehow better than me. I was so angry at her.

"_It wasn't my fault!_"

_Anger. Guilt. Panic. Hunger._ All these crazy emotions were surrounding me. It was like a hundred little voices whispering words of malice in my ear. I couldn't make out one from the other as they all battered my senses.

I needed to breathe.

_In, out._

"Breathe."

I wanted to get out and see if she was okay. No matter how angry at her I was, I didn't want her to die. I'd never wish that on her.

I hated that I wasn't strong enough. I couldn't get out of that car without risking her life, I was too temperamental. I couldn't control myself, and I knew that I was putting her in even more danger by trying to help her, than sitting here and letting my new emotions eat me alive.

I wanted to be productive, of course I did. I hated that everybody always wanted to leave me out of "the next big plan". I understood their concern for me, but I wanted to be up and about helping the people that were trying to help me.

This time, though, I knew I had to listen to Damon. He'd promised to protect me and keep me safe. I'd trust him with my life and I knew I had to trust his instincts on this one and follow his orders.

My breathing was slowly beginning to even out again and the voices slowly began to fade into a gentle murmur. It took a lot of concentration, but eventually, I felt the tension in my muscles ease and found I could finally think clearly.

I didn't want to listen to what was going on inside, for fear I'd lose my newfound sense of calm and end up in a full-blow vamp-style panic attack.

I decided to distract myself instead. I'd wanted some time to think things over since I'd woken in the morgue, but I hadn't had a drama free moment.

Now seemed perfect, even though there were some skeletons I didn't really want to drag out of the closet.

Stefan being the main one.

Ever since the day he left with Klaus, we'd been growing apart. The things he'd said to me, even without his humanity, they weren't things I could easily forget. I could forgive him for them eventually, though; and I had. They were only words.

But then he used me as leverage. He knew how terrified I was of Wickery Bridge. He was the one who had saved me the night my parents died. He knew and yet he didn't care. He fed me his blood, knowing I never wanted to be a vampire, and intended to drive me right over the bridge and into the water unless Klaus gave in to his wishes.

The sick thing was, I had no doubt that he would have done it if Klaus hadn't complied.

Still, he didn't have his humanity and, for some insane reason, I could still forgive him for it.

And through all that, Damon and I had grown closer and closer. He became my best friend and the person I could talk to about anything. While my feelings for Stefan were always busy eating away at my resolve, my love for Damon was growing by the minute.

_Damon _was the one by my side when Stefan left with Klaus. _Damon_ picked up the pieces of me that were left behind when his brother left. Knowing that I loved Stefan and still choosing to help me to find him, even though he loved me too, was something his own brother could never have done. _Damon_ was the one who laid beside me every single night that summer and chased the nightmares away._ Damon _comforted me when Stefan tried to kill me and _Damon_ was the one who loved me unconditionally; vampire or not.

Stefan hadn't been around much these past twenty four hours, and I knew, even if I'd chosen him, he still would've gone AWOL.

Stefan's love was pure, and that was the problem. He loved the purest parts of me; the perfect little Elena Gilbert that everybody wanted me to be. He loved me as a human, as the fragile little teenager he could protect. Stefan loved me for my strength, for my ability to deal with everything with a smile plastered across my face.

And Stefan had never taken the time to realise that smile was never real.

For years, I'd been pretending to be fine, to smile and act as though I was coping with the madness that was my life. When in reality, I felt like I was breaking, every second of every day. I couldn't just stop, though. Life goes on. I couldn't just put my life on hold for something as pitiful as my emotional state of mind. I had to constantly convince everyone around me that I was fine.

Except Damon.

Damon didn't love me for the facade I always put on. Just like I had never loved him simply for the bad boy I-don't-care-about-anybody mask he always wore. Those were just parts of us; but they never defined us.

Damon loved me unconditionally. He loved me because of my faults and flaws. He loved me even when I hated him. He loved me when I hurt him, time and time again. Just as I loved him, and forgave him for every wrong doing. Damon loved me when I made him angry and he loved me when I broke his heart. He loved me because I made him feel human. But he didn't love my humanity.

He loved _me_.

That would always be the eternal difference between the two brothers.

Damon never did anything half way. When he gave, he gave everything he had. He was passionate and fiery, just like me. We loved on the same level; we always had. It just took a little longer for me to discover my own feelings.

And now that I had, I never intended to let him go again.

That didn't change the fact that Stefan was being an asshole. He hadn't been back to the house since the incident in the basement and it seemed like he had no intention of returning any time soon.

He didn't seem interested in caring for me, or making sure I was coping with this new life.

That hurt more than anything. He'd gone from being loving and caring to acting like a complete jackass; and not in the sexy-jackass way that Damon always acted.

If Stefan had been in the boarding house when Bonnie had shown up, I was almost certain things would have run much more smoothly. But obviously, the youngest Salvatore had different ideas.

There was a scuffle from inside the house, followed by a soft curse. Seconds later, Damon's face appeared by the side of the car window and I jumped.

"_Jeez!_ Damon!"

He laughed and gestured for me to open the passenger door. I pulled a face at him before flicking the switch. He was inside before I could even blink.

"Hey now, why so jumpy?" He teased, quirking his eyebrows in that way he knew made me swoon.

I swatted him on the arm. "Shut up."

He grinned, before taking my hand and brushing the back of my knuckles with his thumb. When he spoke again, his voice was low and serious. "I fed Bonnie my blood."

I was about to interupt him, but he put his finger to my lips and carried on.

"It was the only way to save her life, Elena. It'll be out of her system in a few days, she's just got to be careful."

I sighed. All hell was going to break loose when Bonnie found out the truth.

Damon seemed to have had the same thought, as he chuckled darkly. "She's gonna go all Sabrina on my ass when she wakes up, you know that, right?"

"Well I'm sure the Eternal Stud, could take her on?" I pouted.

He just pouted right back. "Ooh, stroking my ego are we, Miss Gilbert? Please, carry on."

I slapped his arm. "Ass."

"Now what is it with your obsession with my ass?"

I rolled my eyes at him. _Stupid, arrogant, beautiful man._

The playful smile pulling at the corners of his lips was infectious and I couldn't help smiling right along with him.

He leant forward and I met him in the middle and we kissed softly. He held my hand in both of his and stroked my palm with the very tips of his fingers, sending shivers down my spine

It was magical. The way he made me forget everything else in the world with just one kiss was something I thought could only ever exist in fairytales.

But it was just him and me and a world of white noise surrounding us.

That is until Caroline's persistent tapping on the car window shocked us back to reality.

"Urm, can you two break up the PDA for five minutes please? We have a situation." The blonde asked, rolling her eyes.

Damon scowled. "Stupid Barbie."

Caroline just grinned.

**[Damon Salvatore]**

That Barbie-fied ball of irritating, blonde vampire was really starting to rub me up the wrong way.

I mean, of course I realised all hell was breaking loose around us, but that didn't mean I couldn't appreciate any and all of the scarce amount of alone time I could get with Elena.

_Sheesh._

As we lead Barbie inside, Elena somehow instated 'me' to fill Caroline in on the recent events, at least those than transpired here a chez de Salvatore.

"So Bonn's gonna be okay, right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, she'll be just fine. It's gonna be my ass-kicking you'll get to witness when she wakes up."

Caroline struggled to hide her grin and _dear God_ did I want to smack her silly.

Suddenly, she pulled something from her pocket and I tensed instantly. I opened my mouth to ask her what the _fuck_ she was doing, but she put a finger to her lips and placed a small black box in my hand, before mouthing, "You're welcome."

Then she turned and walked away, flopping down on the couch and sprawling herself across it like she owned the place. "Where's Bonnie right now?"

_Make yourself at home why don't you?_

I shrugged, slomping down in my favourite arm chair. "In the spare room upstairs. She's still unconscious, but she should be waking up any moment now."

Caroline nodded non-commitedly, clearly listening out for sounds of her best friend rousing.

I stared down at the little box in my hand with a sense of wonder. I didn't need to open it to know what was inside. No matter how much the blonde vampire annoyed me, I would owe her for an eternity for what she'd done for me.

Elena sauntered into the room a few seconds later and I quickly shoved the box down beside my arm chair.

"So what's this 'situation' then, Care?" She asked as she curled herself up on my lap and rested her head against my chest.

Caroline shot up like a rocket. "Oh my God! I totally forgot!"

Elena and I both just sat staring at her, waiting for her to speak.

"Our silence is your cue, Barbie." I raised my eyebrows mockingly.

She stuck her tongue out, childishly. "Okay. Elena, you remember April Young, right?"

Elena nodded solemnly, looking about as confused as I felt.

"Well, her and her dad just moved back into town. The thing is, the Pastor's spoken to the council, and thanks to Ric's little briefing, he now knows the names of every resident vampire in this town, sans Elena, for obvious reasons."

"So what does that mean, exactly?"

Caroline shrugged. "No idea. But the Pastor's got his vamp-busting cap on and it's only a matter of time before they come knocking on your door."

I grabbed the leftover glass of bourbon from this morning from the stool and knocked it back in one. _Great, just what we need; another enemy._

"How long is 'a matter of time'?" I asked, trying to remain level-headed.

Elena was watching me carefully, waiting for me to kick off. I was trying to learn to be less impulsive, but it was a hell of a lot more difficult than it seemed. I wanted to run; I wanted to take Elena and get as far away from Mystic Falls as possible. I wanted to run so far that this Pastor Young guy would never have a hope of finding us.

Obviously, Elena would never let me do that. It'd probably spark another endless chain of fights between us and I _definitley_ didn't want that. I'd only just got her, for crying out loud.

So I tried to listen to all the facts before I made some hot-headed prison that landed me back in Elena's you-sabotage-things category.

"I'd say 24 hours max."

_Crap._

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." I told them both, mucht to their suprise. "If you'll forgive the pun."

Elena gave me a dirty look, but the look of complete surprise had me smirking.

"What?"

Caroline just stared at me like I'd grown a second head or something.

"No sudden impulse to get out of town?" Elena asked, sitting up properly to look me in the face. "No urge to lock me in the cellar until you've '_dealt with the problem_'?"

I shook my head innocently, fighting the, decidedly stronger, urge to laugh. "Nope." I said, popping the 'p'.

Elena shook her own head in amazement and laughed. "Wow..."

I laughed right along with her, pecking her softly on the lips.

"I said we'd deal with things as they come. No need to think the worst of every situation, right?" I reached down, inconspicuously and picked up the little box from the stool. "I have something for you anyway."

Elena's head came back up to look at me again. "What?" Then she noticed what was in my palm. "Damon! You shouldn't have gotten me anything!"

I chuckled, balancing the box in my left palm and popping it open in front of us both with my right. "I have a feeling you'll be needing this little something for a very long time."

Nestled in the rich black silk inside the box was a beaufiul ring. It was eighteen carat gold with an intricately twined gold back. In the centre was a stunning deep blue lapis lazuli with a half dozen tiny diamonds glimmering along either side on the band.

It had once belonged to my mother, and, before she died, she had given it to me personally. She wanted me to have it and she knew my father, being the despicable man he was, would never let me have anything of hers. I'd cherished it for all these years and now I felt it was time it had a new owner.

Elena stared at it in awe, tears springing to her eyes.

I watched Caroline swiftly depart in my peripheral vision and I silently thanked her for everything she'd done to help us.

"It's beautiful, Damon, but I can't accept it."

I pulled it out of the box carefully and took Elena's hand in mine.

"It was my mother's." I told her sincerely, lifting her ring finger to my lips and placing gentle kisses all over it. "She told me to give it to the only one I wanted to spend forever with. At the time, forever didn't have quite the same meaning as it does now. But I know, I've never been more certain of anything in my life, that _you_ are that only one; the person I want to spend my true eternity with."

Elena's tears were streaming down her face by now as she gazed at me with such an honest love, I wanted to cry myself.

"Caroline got Bonnie to spell it without realising. If you want it, if you want me, you can have it. I love you so much, Elena. I want this to be a promise for us, because I'm never letting you go, and forever's going to be a very, very long time."

I slipped the ring gently over the tip of her finger and stared into her eyes, waiting for confirmation.

A simple nod was enough for me as I slid the ring, that now belonged to the love of my life, into place, where it would stay for the rest of eternity.

"I love you, Damon Salvatore."

"And I, you, Elena Gilbert."

She kissed me, then. It was passionate and loving and full of promise. And it was in that moment that I realised I was happy; really and truly happy for the first time. Elena Gilbert had saved me from myself. She loved me, and I loved her, and no matter what we had to face in the future, I knew we'd get through it together.

There was a sudden gasp from upstairs that broke us apart before a piercing shriek echoed through the house. "_DAMON SALVATORE! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"_

Elena giggled, kissing me chastely on the lips again. "Bonnie's awake."

I laughed with her, cradling her hands against my chest and capturing her lips with mine.

Bonnie's wrath could wait till later. The only thing that mattered was her and me and our love for each other. We'd survived everything, just like we would always survive.

We were Damon and Elena.

And this was just the start of our very long forever.

* * *

_The End._


End file.
